They also occur in more open areas where suitable patches of vegetation remain including sparsely-wooded farmland, and within some urban parks and gardens. They are uncommon in the drier eastern regions of the South Island, especially south of Christchurch. Moreporks are widely distributed throughout the native and exotic forests of New Zealand. The rising ‘quee’ call is often mistaken for a kiwi call. They are found only in open habitats in South Island, with minimal range overlap with morepork. They are paler than morepork, more grey-brown than dark-brown, and heavily spotted and streaked with cream. Similar species: little owls are the only other small species of owl in New Zealand. They also utter a repetitive ‘quork-quork’, a rising ‘quee’ call often confused with kiwi, and a yelping call similar to the short call of little owl. ![]() The onomatopoeic ‘more-pork’ call is the most characteristic and often heard call. Voice: Calls are given almost exclusively at night. The legs are feathered legs down to the yellow feet. The breast is dark-brown variably streaked with cream and brown through to rufous. The back feathers are dark-brown spotted sparsely with off-white. Its striking yellow to yellowish-green eyes are set into two facial disks either side of a small sharply hooked bill. The morepork is a small, compact, dark-brown owl. Their diet consists of insects, small mammals and birds, which it hunts at night. Moreporks are relatively common throughout much of New Zealand but are sparse through the eastern and central South Island. ![]() Found in both native and plantation forests, its distinctive “more-pork” call is commonly heard at night in many urban parks and well-vegetated suburbs. The morepork is a small, dark, forest-dwelling owl.
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