Have you seen or heard a Powerful Owl? Report your sightings on Birdata.

The Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua) is Australia’s largest owl with an impressive wingspan of up to 140cm. It lives in eastern Australia, from south-eastern Queensland to South Australia, mostly in large patches of forest. Despite being classified as threatened throughout its range, the Powerful Owl can thrive within cities. These owls have been regularly sighted in the suburbs of Georges River and may even be using your backyard!

Importantly, Powerful Owls need old-growth, hollow-bearing trees to live in. The Hollows for Homes project documents tree hollows and the wildlife observed using the hollows! Council uses this data to focus tree conservation efforts.
 

Powerful Owl Project 

The Powerful Owl Project is a national initiative aiming to inform of the location and habitat requirements of the Powerful Owl, as well as:

• Train the community to conduct surveys to find owls and track breeding success
• Monitor the distribution and abundance of owls and uncover why owls are present in some areas and absent in others
• Uncover habitat characteristics associated with greater breeding success in Powerful Owl
• Develop an accurate species distribution model to be used as planning layers by state and council
• Identify site-specific management recommendations for Powerful Owls
• Understand the impact of threats such as vehicle strike, or electrocution
• Inform and support land management for the conservation of Powerful Owl.

What is Council doing?

Council and St George Men's Shed provide and retain habitat for the Powerful Owl by creating artificial nest hollows and nest boxes, which are installed in public trees.

Mature trees with hollows are also assessed by Council officers with habitat value for the Powerful Owl in mind.

Council's management of feral species which predate on the Powerful Owl is ongoing via the Fox Management Program. Records of Powerful Owls continue to be monitored as an indicator of the effectiveness of feral animal control.