Ninox albifacies albifacies Gray, 1844
South Island laughing owl, South Island whekau, Laughing owl, New Zealand laughing jackass (archaic), Whēkau (Māori)
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
A complete synonymy taken from (Checklist Committee (OSNZ), 2022:188):
Athene albifacies G.R. Gray, 1844: in Richardson & J.E. Gray (Eds), Zool. Voy. ‘Erebus’ & ‘Terror’, Birds 1(3): 2, pl. 1 – Waikouaiti, Otago.; Ieraglaux albifacies (G.R. Gray); Kaup 1852, Trans. Zool. Soc. London 4(6): 219.; Athene (Sceloglaux) albifacies G.R. Gray; G.R. Gray 1862, Ibis 4: 216.; Athenae albifacies G.R. Gray; Anon. 1870, Cat. Colonial Mus.: 72. Unjustified emendation.; Sceloglaux albifacies (G.R. Gray); Buller 1872 (Apr.), History of the Birds of N.Z., 1st edition (part 1): 21.; Sceloglaux albifacies albifacies (G.R. Gray); Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th series): 422.; Ninox albifacies (G.R. Gray); J. Wood, Mitchell et al. 2017, Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 179: 912.; Ninox albifacies albifacies (G.R. Gray); Hume 2017, Extinct Birds (2nd edition): 231.; Strix haasti Buller, 1865: Essay N.Z. Ornith., reprinted 1869, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1 (2nd edition): 219 – Canterbury.; Strix haastii; Potts 1882: Out in the Open: 123 – Unjustified emendation.; Athene albifrons R. Taylor, 1870: Te Ika a Maui (2nd edition): 612. Unjustified emendation.; Athene ejulans Potts, 1871: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 3: 63 – Lindis Pass, Otago.
Conservation Status
Extinct
Last record: 5 July 1914 (Worthy, 1997a); 1920's (unconfirmed reports); c.1937-1962 (one or two unconfirmed reports during this period) (Oliver, 1955); 1960's (BirdLife International, 2012)
IUCN RedList status: Extinct
The last confirmed was of a dead individual found at Bluecliffs Station in Canterbury (Worthy, 1997a). There were unconfirmed reports of the nominate race right up until the 1960's (BirdLife International, 2012), including one in February 1956 (Hall-Jones, 1960:172)
Distribution
South Island and Stewart Island (Rakiura) (historically) & Chatham Islands (prehistorically), all New Zealand
Biology & Ecology
Hypodigm
"the total known holdings of laughing owl specimens worldwide [is] 26 mounted birds, 28 study skins and 20 eggs" (Miskelly, 2015).
RMNH 110.069 (sex unknown)
RMNH 110.070 (male)
Media
There are at least 5 known photos of the subspecies. The earliest two were taken by Alfred Charles Barker on 28 March 1871, possibly at the Canterbury Museum. The next was taken by Henry Charles Clarke Wright between 1889 and 1910 (most likely in 1892) of one of a pair in the care of Walter Buller, sooner or later sent to Lord Walter Rothschild in England. The last two photos were taken by Cuthbert Parr between 1909-1912 at "The Owl Rock" near his and his brother Oliver's house near Raincliff, South Canterbury.
Above: "An inscription on the photograph reads: "Athene albifacies, Chch, NZ, Mar 28. 71. An inscription below the photograph reads: "N.Z. Laughing Jackass, 1871." Page 40 of album two". Photographer: Alfred Charles Barker, 1871. Source: https://collection.canterburymuseum.com/objects/786181/photograph-new-zealand-laughing-jackass
Above: "An inscription on the photograph reads: "Athene albifacies, Chch, NZ, Mar 28. 71. An inscription below the photograph reads: "N.Z. Laughing Jackass, 1871." Page 40 of album two". Photographer: Alfred Charles Barker, 1871. Source: https://collection.canterburymuseum.com/objects/786180/photograph-new-zealand-laughing-jackass
Above: Whekau or laughing owl. Wright, Henry Charles Clarke, 1844-1936 :Negatives. Ref: 1/1-020529-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22724636. The circumstances of the photograph have been detailed by (Worthy, 1997a:245).
Above: Fledgling laughing owl photographed some time between 1909 and 1912 by Cuthbert Parr, at or near 'The Owl Rock', Parr Road, Raincliff. Details of the photographs are discussed by (Worthy, 1997b).
Above: Fledgling laughing owl photographed some time between 1909 and 1912 by Cuthbert Parr, at or near 'The Owl Rock', Parr Road, Raincliff. Details of the photographs are discussed by (Worthy, 1997b).
A false report of further photographs
The fourth and fifth photos above only came to light in 1990 or slightly earlier, having been held for decades by the Parr family without broader knowledge. Incorrect details of the date (1916), location (near Albury) and photographer (J. C. Parr) were then supplied by Mr. R. O. Matches resulting in a false report "recently discovered photographs show some birds bred in 1916. These were taken near Albury, South Canterbury where the birds remained common through the 1920's" (Worthy & Holdaway, 1993:196). This was later corrected by (Worthy, 1997b).
Lost Animals of the 20th Century (Television show)
Paintings
Above: Spiloglaux Novae Zealandiae and Sceloglaux albifacies. Plate 4. From the book A history of the birds of New Zealand., 1873, by Johannes Keulemans. Te Papa (RB001176/004a)
Above: Laughing Owl / Whekau. Sceloglaux albifacies. From the series: Extinct Birds of New Zealand., 2004, Masterton, by Paul Martinson. Purchased 2006. © Te Papa. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Te Papa (2006-0010-1/57)
References
Original scientific description:
Gray, G. R. (1844). Birds I. - Birds of New Zealand, pp. 1-20. In: Richardson, J. & Gray, J. E. (eds.). The zoology of the voyage of HMS Erebus & Terror, under the command of Capt. Sir J. C. Ross . . . during . . . 1893-44. . . . Vol. I. Mammalia, Birds. London.
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