What owl from New Zealand that had a laughing call went extinct by 1914?

The New Zealand owl with a distinctive laughing call was the Laughing owl, an extinct species also known as whēkau, laughing jackass, or white-faced owl.

Its scientific name is Ninox albifacies. The species was once widespread and relatively common in New Zealand, but became rare by the late 19th century. The last confirmed specimen was found dead at Bluecliffs Station in Canterbury on July 5, 1914.

Its disappearance resulted from several pressures, including introduced predators such as cats and stoats, land-use changes, and collecting for museums. Older explanations emphasized competition for prey from introduced Pacific rats, but later research considers that explanation incomplete.

The laughing call is the source of its English name, but the owl was not related to the laughing kookaburra. Recent genetic research also places it with boobook owls in Ninox, rather than the formerly used genus Sceloglaux.