 "Forests of large but thinly scattered trees, skirting plains and open districts, constitute its natural habitat.Strictly nocturnal in its habits, as night approaches it sallies forth from the hollows of the large gum-trees, and flaps slowly and noiselessly over the plains and swamps in search of its prey, which consists of rats and small quadrupeds generally.”

Tasmanian masked owls are not only large, but robust.They closely resemble a barn owl, however are many times larger.