Laughing owl genus "Sceloglaux" as previously thought, but instead belong to the genus "Ninox". The analysis indicated that the laughing owl may be a sister taxon to the "Ninox" clade containing the barking owl, Sumba boobook, and morepork, the latter of which shared New Zealand with the laughing owl. The laughing owl's plumage was yellowish-brown striped with dark brown. White straps were on the scapulars, and occasionally the hind neck. Mantle feathers were edged with white. The wings and tail had light-brown bars. The tarsus had yellowish to reddish-buff feathers. The facial disc was white behind and below the eyes, fading to
Southern boobook August to October in Queensland, from September to November in New South Wales and southern Western Australia, July to September in central and northern Western Australia, in October and November in Victoria, and in September to December in South Australia. The southern boobook nests in holes in trees between 1 and 20 m (3–70 ft) above the ground. The holes are generally vertical, and mostly in eucalypts, though other trees such as coast banksia ("Banksia integrifolia") have been recorded. Some sites are reused by the species for up to 20 years, especially if broods have been successfully raised in them