Southern boobook taxa (southern plus Tasmanian boobooks and moreporks) as a single species. Examining both morphological and genetic (cytochrome b) characters in 2008, German biologist Michael Wink and colleagues concluded that the southern boobook is distinct from the morepork and Tasmanian boobook (which they proposed to be raised to species status as "Ninox leucopsis"), and that it is instead the sister taxon to the barking owl ("N. connivens"). A 2017 study by Singapore-based biologist Chyi Yin Gwee and colleagues analysing both multi-locus DNA and boobook calls confirmed a sister relationship of "N. n. novaeseelandiae" and "N." ("n.") "leucopsis" and their close relationship
Australasian bittern species is listed as endangered. BirdLife International has identified the following sites, all of which are in Australia, as being important for Australasian bittern conservation: Australasian bittern The Australasian bittern ("Botaurus poiciloptilus"), also known as the brown bittern or matuku hūrepo, is a large bird in the heron family Ardeidae. A secretive bird with a distinctive booming call, it is more often heard than seen. Australasian bitterns are endangered in both Australia and New Zealand. The length is from 650 to 750 mm with adults being similar between the sexes while the male is significantly larger. The bird has a