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
Morepork single species. Examining both morphological and genetic (cytochrome "b") characters, Michael Wink and colleagues concluded that the southern boobook was distinct from the morepork, as was the Tasmanian boobook, which should be raised to species status as "Ninox leucopsis". Four subspecies of "Ninox novaeseelandiae" are recognised by the IOC, two of which are extinct: The morepork is long, with female slightly larger than the male. She is slightly heavier, too, at 170-216 g compared with the male's 140-156 g. The morepork has generally dark brown head and upperparts, with pale brown spots on head and neck and white markings on