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laughing owl
laughing owl Laughing owl (Sceloglaux albifacies), illustration by John Gerard Keulemans.

laughing owl

extinct bird
Also known as: Sceloglaux albifacies
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History

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.