Southwest Canterbury Intergrated Learning

• Ruru

Ruru are a nocturnal owl. Nocturnal means they only come out at night and sleep in the day like hedgehogs and other nocturnal birds. They are brown speckled owls.   

                           Here are some questions

What do Ruru eat?

Morepork eat a variety of food but focus on large insects such as weta, huhu beetles, moths and cicadas. They will also prey upon small mammals such as mice and young rats. Morepork also catch roosting birds unawares as they sleep at night! Like many owl species, Morepork can fly silently.

What are the Ruru’s predator?

There are a few predators. Rats, Stoats and Weasels. They are all very similar animals.

Where do Ruru live?

The 'Ruru' Morepork is New Zealand's most widespread owl species. A bird of the bush and the night, it is also an important species in Maori mythology. The Morepork is the only remaining native owl species found in New Zealand apart from the Barn Owl, which has only very recently colonised New Zealand from Australia.

How big do they grow?

The females are bigger than the males. Head to tail they measure around 29 cm and the average weight is about 175 g.

What colour are the Ruru’s eggs?

If the Ruru were used for something, what was it?

In Māori tradition the morepork was seen as a watchful guardian. It belonged to the spirit world as it is a bird of the night.

Ruru’s eyes yellow are why?

Big yellow eyes are designed to binocellate things in the dark.

Often heard in the forest at dusk and throughout the night, the morepork is known for its haunting call. Its Māori name, ruru, reflects this call.

The much larger laughing owl became extinct in the 20th century. The German or little owl is a smaller species often found on open and lightly wooded farmland. It was introduced to New Zealand between 1906 and 1910 to try to control smaller introduced birds.

Facts

Morepork are commonly found in forests throughout mainland New Zealand and on offshore islands.

They are classified as not threatened.They are less common within the drier open regions of Canterbury and Otago.

Features

They have a short tail.Morepork are speckled brown with yellow eyes set in a dark facial mask.

They can turn their head through 270 degrees.They have acute hearing and are sensitive to light.

Nesting and breeding

• Morepork nest in tree cavities, In clumps of epiphytes or among rocks and roots.
• The female generally lay two eggs, but can lay up to three eggs, usually between September and November.
• depending on food supply.

Overall the Ruru is a very intelligent bird and is the maori peoples hero for being their guard.

The Web Site I have been using is: Morepork Ruru

I chose the Ruru for my information report because they are cute, funny birds. I hope you like my information about the Ruru.                  By Zara