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
Penelope Diane Olsen Penelope Diane Olsen Dr Penelope Diane Olsen is an Australian ornithologist and author. She has worked with CSIRO as an experimental officer and an Honorary Research Associate as well as being an ARC Postdoctoral Fellow at the Australian National University. She is also internationally recognised as an expert on raptors and was involved in the conservation work on Norfolk Island for the Norfolk Island Boobook. She was President of the Australasian Raptor Association 1984–1989. In 1997 she was awarded the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union's D.L. Serventy Medal for excellence in published work on birds in the Australasian region. Since 2003