The best nest?

Ruru nest in the cavities of trees and on the ground amongst rocks and roots. Unfortunately, as with many other New Zealand species, these nests leave them open to predation by introduced predators which include cats, possums, rats, stoats, pigs, and hedgehogs.

The female ruru will lay 1 – 3 eggs at a time, incubating them for 24 – 30 days while the male brings her food. Once the eggs hatch, the female will stay in the nest for the first 7-10 days, and after this she will come and go as needed. These eggs don’t necessarily hatch at the same time, so the chicks are often slightly different ages and sizes. Ruru nest in the cavities of trees and on the ground amongst rocks and roots. Unfortunately, as with many other New Zealand species, these nests leave them open to predation by introduced predators which include cats, possums, rats, stoats, pigs, and hedgehogs.

What a hoot

This beautiful owl is a noisy nighttime neighbour! They make a range of noises including a high-pitched yelp, but they are best known for their ‘more-pork’ call. This double hoot is often heard at dusk or nighttime, and is how they get their English and te Reo names ‘morepork’ and ‘ruru’. Sometimes you might hear more than one calling at the same time – it might sound like a beautiful duet, but is most likely a pair of rival males dueling.

While this species is well known for its haunting call, they can also be very quiet. The ruru is an excellent predator, creeping up on prey in total silence thanks to helpful adaptations. As with other owl species, their wings are designed to reduce noise; while many birds have smooth edges on their feathers for efficient flying, the ruru has serrated comb-like edges on their wing feathers. This reduces turbulence and muffles the sound of air around their wings, helping them swoop down silently to capture their prey.

At the Zoo

In the wild, ruru eat invertebrates such as wētā, huhu beetles, moths, and cicadas, as well as rodents or even small birds if there are fewer bugs available. At the Zoo, they are fed locusts, crickets, and mice.

The ruru share their habitat with kiwi in Te Pō (the Night), the nocturnal habitat of Te Wao Nui. Enter through the cave and wander under the stars through an area which also includes kōkopu and wētāpunga.

The ruru are sometimes part of the Hidden New Zealand keeper talk at the Wild Work Centre, and can sometime be seen out and about around the Zoo with our Animal Experiences team.

In the Wild

Origin: Aotearoa, New Zealand

Habitat: Forest and bush

Conservation status: IUCN –  Least concern

Ruru are considered to be relatively common, however the population size has not been quantified so more research and monitoring is needed to gain insight into how the ruru population is doing. Ruru can be vulnerable to predators, due to their nesting habits. They also can be affected by secondary or accumulative poisoning if they eat live prey such as rodents that have eaten poisonous bait.

The ruru co-exists alongside another owl in Aotearoa: the much larger barn owl. Fortunately, the barn owl lives on farmland and predominantly hunts rodents, so it does not compete with ruru populations for food or territory. Ruru live in the bush and prefer to feed on invertebrates such as wētā, huhu beetles, cicadas, and spiders.

How you can help

Although these owls are widespread throughout most of the country, they’re less common in the eastern and central South Island. If you have forest or bush near your home, you might have ruru living here.

Breeding and nesting season for ruru is September to May. Keeping trees on your property, or planting new ones (especially native species!) are ways you can help provide nesting places for ruru. If you are considering removing any trees around your home, take care to monitor them for any bird activity first, especially in nesting season. A tree you want to prune or cut down could potentially be a roosting or nesting site for ruru!

You can also help by keeping dogs on a leash when walking and keeping cats indoors, particularly at night. Building nests on the ground makes ruru very vulnerable to predation. You can also set traps on your property for predators, but take care using bait as ruru eat small rodents and can be susceptible to secondary poisoning.