The barking owl (Ninox connivens ), also known as the winking owl, is a nocturnal bird species native to mainland Australia and parts of New Guinea and the Moluccas. They are a medium-sized brown owl and have a characteristic voice with calls ranging from a barking dog noise to a shrill human-like howl of great intensity.
To see + hear the barking owl:
https://ebird.org/species/barowl1?siteLanguage=en_AU
Barking owls are monogamous and form strong pair bonds that last for life. These two have lost patience for everything.
They blend in well with their surroundings to avoid unnecessary drama. ..
and are known for their excellent stink eye.
One need only look for a moment to understand the angst and existential dread of this Strigidae.
Barking owls are sedentary and usually found in pairs. They are nocturnal, however, sometimes may call and even hunt during the day. These owls hunt in timbered and open habitats but usually rely on trees as hunting perches.
Their diet includes prey taken from the ground, the trees, the surface of water bodies, and directly from the air. Most people hear Barking owls rather than see them as they have a loud and explosive voice. The main territorial vocalization is in the form of a double 'hoot', similar in pattern to the other Australian hawk owls. It sounds like a double dog bark that so closely resembles a small dog that it is difficult to tell the difference. Males 'bark' at a lower pitch than females, particularly when a pair performs the barking calls together.
Barking calls can be varied in pitch and intensity depending on the purpose of the call. Loud barks are given as territorial calls and can be used in confrontations between pairs in adjacent territories. Lower pitched softer barks are often used around the nest or roost areas by the male to call the female for a meal.
These birds also have a range of other vocalizations such as growls, howls or screams, and bleating and twittering. Growls and howls are often related to threats, particularly during nesting.
https://animalia.bio/barking-owl