Laughing Owl (Whekau)

"There were two closely related but distinct forms:  the South Island Whekau and the North Island Whekau.  Both have been extinct since the turn of the century and the complex forces which caused their decline were triggered by the settlement of New Zealand by Europeans and their attendant pets, pests and clearances. . . . The laughing sound has been variously described:  one witness wrote of the 'loud cry make up of a series of dismal shrieks frequently repeated' and apparently this outburst came only when the birds were on the wing and generally on dark or drizzly nights, or immediately preceding rain."