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The Beechworth Burke Museum
From the collection of The Beechworth Burke Museum
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Animal specimen - Masked Owl, Trustees of the Australian Museum, 1860-1880

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. The body faces front-left and the head is turned leftward showing large, pale heart-shaped facial disc edged with a line of dark brown, and large yellow right eye with black iris. The wing feathers are dark brown and flecked, and the underparts are pale with small dark brown spots.

    10116 (front - left)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. The body faces left and the turned head faces front showing large, pale heart-shaped facial disc edged with a line of dark brown, and large yellow eyes with black iris. The wing feathers are dark brown and flecked, and the underparts are pale with dark brown spots.

    10116 (left)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Rear left view of body and partial view of pale heart-shaped facial disc edged with a line of dark brown and large yellow eye with black iris. The wing and dorsal feathers are dark brown and flecked with chestnut, white and grey-brown.

    10116 (back - left)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Rear view of body showing long wings and short tail. Plumage is dark brown flecked with chestnut, white and greyish-brown.

    10116 (back)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Rear right view of body showing long wing. Plumage is dark brown with flecks of chestnut, white and greyish brown.

    10116 (back - right)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Right view of body showing dark brown wings with chestnut, white and grey-brown in contrast to the pale underbelly and legs.

    10116 (right)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Front right view of body showing pale speckled underbelly and legs .

    10116 (front right)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Front view of body showing left view profile of large head, thick neck plumage, pale speckled underbelly, tarsi and talons.

    10116 (front)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Close-up frontal view showing profile of large head with thick neck plumage.

    10116 (close-up)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Close-up right side view showing large head and distinct pale heart-shaped facial disc, narrow pointed beak, large yellow eyes rounded by darker hues, thick, speckled neck plumage .

    10116 (close-up)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Close-up view of head showing left side of pale heart-shaped facial disc and thick speckled neck plumage.

    10116 (close-up)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Close-up view of chestnut coloured talons with pale tarsi plumage.

    10116 (close-up)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Close-up view of paper swing tag attached to lower leg (see inscription).

    10116 (close-up)

  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. The body faces front-left and the head is turned leftward showing large, pale heart-shaped facial disc edged with a line of dark brown, and large yellow right eye with black iris. The wing feathers are dark brown and flecked, and the underparts are pale with small dark brown spots.
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. The body faces left and the turned head faces front showing large, pale heart-shaped facial disc edged with a line of dark brown, and large yellow eyes with black iris. The wing feathers are dark brown and flecked, and the underparts are pale with dark brown spots.
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Rear left view of body and partial view of pale heart-shaped facial disc edged with a line of dark brown and large yellow eye with black iris. The wing and dorsal feathers are dark brown and flecked with chestnut, white and grey-brown.
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Rear view of body showing long wings and short tail. Plumage is dark brown flecked with chestnut, white and greyish-brown.
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Rear right view of body showing long wing. Plumage is dark brown with flecks of chestnut, white and greyish brown.
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Right view of body showing dark brown wings with chestnut, white and grey-brown in contrast to the pale underbelly and legs.
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Front right view of body showing pale speckled underbelly and legs .
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Front view of body showing left view profile of large head, thick neck plumage, pale speckled underbelly, tarsi and talons.
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Close-up frontal view showing profile of large head with thick neck plumage.
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Close-up right side view showing large head and distinct pale heart-shaped facial disc, narrow pointed beak, large yellow eyes rounded by darker hues, thick, speckled neck plumage .
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Close-up view of head showing left side of pale heart-shaped facial disc and thick speckled neck plumage.
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Close-up view of chestnut coloured talons with pale tarsi plumage.
  • Masked Owl mounted on wooden perch pedestal with swing tag. Close-up view of paper swing tag attached to lower leg (see inscription).

Historical information

Masked Owls are an Australian barn owl species ranging across most of mainland Australia and Tasmania, generally within 300 km of coastline. Masked Owls are a medium sized bird averaging 390-500mm in length with wing spans up to 1250mm. There are several subspecies across Australia and the Tasmanian Masked Owl is the largest. Female Masked Owls are markedly larger than males.

Masked Owls prefer forested, woodland, or timbered waterway habitats to open country, and nest in tall trees with suitable hollows and adjacent areas for foraging. They are territorial and hunt small mammals, rodents, rabbits, reptiles and small marsupials. Population numbers are in decline on the mainland and in Victoria the species is considered threatened.

This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Museum of Victoria (known as Museums Victoria since 1983), as well as individuals such as amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.

Significance

This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research.

This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.

Physical description

This Masked Owl specimen is medium sized with a large head and distinctive heart-shaped facial markings. The plumage is mostly brown, patterned with flecks and patches of white, chestnut and light grey. The tail is short and largely concealed by long wing feathers. The face, feathered tarsi and underparts are much paler in contrast to the dorsal plumage, and the facial mask is edged by a distinct dark brown line. The eyes are large and yellow. This specimen stands on a wooden perch pedestal with identification tags attached to its leg.

Inscriptions & markings

12. / Delicate Owl / See Catalogue, page, 3 /

Subjects

References

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