Southern boobook their upperparts. The tips of their feathers are white and fluffy, remnants of the nestlings' down. These are worn away over time, persisting longest on the head. The feathers of the head, neck and underparts are fluffier overall. Immatures in their second and third year have plumage more like adults, though their crowns are paler and more heavily streaked. On mainland Australia, it could be confused with the barking owl or the brown hawk-owl ("Ninox scutulata"), a rare vagrant to the northwest, although the southern boobook is easily distinguished by its squat posture and distinctive pale border to its face
Southern boobook Australia", Gould recognised three species, all of which he placed in the genus "Spiloglaux": "S. marmoratus" from South Australia, "S. boobook", which is widespread across the Australian mainland and Tasmania, and "S. maculatus" from southeastern Australia and Tasmania. Meanwhile, in India, English naturalist Brian Houghton Hodgson had established the genus "Ninox" in 1837, and his countryman Edward Blyth placed the southern boobook in the new genus in 1849. "Southern boobook" has been designated the official name by the International Ornithological Committee. The common name comes from the two-tone call of the bird, and has also been transcribed as "mopoke". William