laughing owl

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laughing owl

extinct bird

Also known as: Sceloglaux albifacies

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Related Topics:: extinction; human-induced extinction

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laughing owl, (Sceloglaux albifacies), an extinct bird of the family Strigidae (order Strigiformes) that was native to New Zealand. It was last seen in the early 1900s. Laughing owls nested on the ground, where they fell prey to cats, rats, goats, and weasels. About 40 cm (1.3 feet) long and brownish in colour, they ate rodents, lizards, and insects.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.