The barking owl (Ninox connivens) gets its name from its remarkably loud, territorial call which is a deep, double-bark. It is sometimes called the "screaming-woman bird" because it lets out an eerie, high-pitched wail that can sound like a human in distress. Native to mainland Australia and Papua New Guinea, pairs will often engage in call-and-answer duets, with the male's voice sounding deeper than the female's. Barking owls are crepuscular – most active right around dusk and dawn, hunting insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals up to the size of possums.
© BirdsImageStock