VU

Malaita Owl

Athene malaitae

Declining

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Malaita Boobook faces severe pressure from extensive logging operations that have fragmented and destroyed much of its native forest habitat on Malaita Island. Agricultural expansion and human settlement development continue to reduce available nesting sites and hunting grounds. The species' extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to any habitat disturbance, as the entire population is confined to a single island in the Solomon Islands.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Malaita Boobook inhabits primary and secondary tropical forests on Malaita Island in the Solomon Islands. It prefers dense forest canopy areas with suitable tree hollows for nesting and adequate prey populations of insects and small vertebrates.

Forest· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoveryLinked enterprises & livelihood alternatives

Frequently asked questions

Why is Malaita Owl classified as Vulnerable?
Malaita Owl is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The Malaita Boobook faces severe pressure from extensive logging operations that have fragmented and destroyed much of its native forest habitat on Malaita Island. Agricultural expansion and human settlement development continue to reduce available nesting sites and hunting grounds. The species' extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to any habitat disturbance, as the entire population is confined to a single island in the Solomon Islands.
Where does Malaita Owl live?
Malaita Owl occurs in Solomon Islands. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Malaita Owl?
The main threats to Malaita Owl are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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