Morepork

Birds / Morepork

Information for Juniors

The morepork is New Zealand’s only surviving native owl
They are relatively common throughout NZ
They can be found in native and exotic forests and farmland
Its distinctive “more-pork” call is commonly heard at night
Unmistakably owl-like in appearance, with wide flat face and large yellow eyes
The underside is a lighter buff colour
The legs are feathered legs down to the yellow feet
Moreporks breed in spring and summer
They build their nests in cavities or the forks of live or dead trees
Normally 1 to 3 eggs are incubated by the female
Incubation takes about 25 days, and chicks leave the nest when about 7 weeks old
Both adults feed the young
Their main hunting times are late evenings and early mornings, with brief bursts of activity through the night
Their food consists of large insects such as huhu beetles, moths and caterpillars, spiders, grasshoppers and wetas, small birds, rats and mice

Morepork ruru song

Information for Junior Secondary

The morepork is New Zealand’s only surviving native owl
They are relatively common throughout NZ
They can be found in native and exotic forests, farmland, and within some urban parks and gardens
Its distinctive “more-pork” call is commonly heard at night in many urban parks and well-vegetated suburbs
Unmistakably owl-like in appearance, with wide flat face and large yellow eyes
Morepork reach about 29 cm in length and weight about 175 grams
Their backs are dark brown, spotted and barred. The underside is a lighter buff colour. The legs are feathered legs down to the yellow feet
Moreporks breed in spring and summer
They build their nests in cavities or the forks of live or dead trees, in nest boxes put up for other species, logs on the ground, or within a hole in an earth bank
Normally 1 to 3 eggs are incubated by the female. Incubation takes about 25 days
Chicks leave the nest when about 7 weeks old Both adults feed the young
They are nocturnal and their main hunting times are late evenings and early mornings, with brief bursts of activity through the night
Their diet consists of large invertebrates such as huhu beetles, moths and caterpillars, spiders, grasshoppers and wetas, small birds, rats and mice

Morepork ruru song

Information for Senior Secondary

The morepork is New Zealand’s only surviving native owl
Order Strigiformes, family Strigidae
There are 4 species in NZ
They are relatively common throughout NZ.
They can be found in native and exotic forests, farmland, and within some urban parks and gardens
Its distinctive “more-pork” call is commonly heard at night in many urban parks and well-vegetated suburbs
Unmistakably owl-like in appearance, with wide flat face and large yellow eyes
Morepork reach about 29 cm in length and weight about 175 grams
Their backs are dark brown, spotted and barred. The underside is a lighter buff colour. The legs are feathered down to the yellow feet
Has a small, sharply hooked, black beak
Their flight feathers are serrated or combed for silent flight
Moreporks breed in spring and summer
They build their nests in cavities or the forks of live or dead trees, in nest boxes put up for other species, logs on the ground, or within a hole in an earth bank
Normally 1 to 3 eggs are incubated by the female. Incubation takes about 25 days
Chicks leave the nest when about 7 weeks old. Both adults feed the young
Prone to predators while nesting, cats, opossums, rats, and stoats
They are nocturnal and their main hunting times are late evenings and early mornings, with brief bursts of activity through the night
Their diet consists of large invertebrates such as huhu beetles, moths and caterpillars, spiders, grasshoppers and wetas, small birds, rats and mice

Morepork ruru song