Minahasa masked owl
species of bird
The Minahasa masked owl (Tyto inexspectata), also known as the Minahasa barn owl, Sulawesi owl or Sulawesi golden owl, is a barn owl endemic to the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The name is derived from the Minahassa Peninsula, where it was first described as a breeding bird; however, it is also known to live in north-central Sulawesi.
The Minahasa masked owl has short wings with a wingspan of 240–250 mm (9.4–9.8 in), well suited to its habitat in deep forests. It appears to prefer undisturbed or lightly disturbed rainforest at altitudes of 100–1,600 m (330–5,250 ft). As the primary lowland forests on the Minahasa peninsula has been destroyed, the survival of the species depends on the more inaccessible montane forests. The species is known to inhabit the two large protected regions (Bogani Nani Wartabone and Lore Lindu National Parks) established in central Sulawesi and Minahassa Peninsula. The remaining population is estimated to be 2,500–10,000.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Minahasa masked owl” is species of bird. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Minahasa, masked and species, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “species of bird” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 25, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1261415. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Minahasa masked owl”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Minahasa masked owl primary sources, Minahasa masked owl archive and Minahasa research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Minahasa masked owl”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Minahasa masked owl” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.