Distribution and Habitat
The natural range of the owl is limited to Tasmania, where it has been recorded throughout the state, with the exception of the south-west. The owls inhabit both wet and dry eucalypt forests, woodlands and adjoining areas of agricultural land. Preferred habitat is areas close to the forest edge, containing a mosaic of understorey components. They require large old-growth trees with capacious hollows for nesting. The home range of a breeding pair may be more than 10 km2 (3.9 sq mi); areas identified as important for breeding include the east coast between Hobart and St Marys, the Derwent and Huon Valleys and the mid-north coast, as well as fragmented patches in the Tamar Valley and the north-east coast. It has been recorded from Maria and Bruny Islands.
The owl has also been successfully introduced to Lord Howe Island, a subtropical territory of New South Wales in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.
Read more about this topic: Tasmanian Masked Owl
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