Boreal Owl
Aegolius funereus
Description 4
The boreal owl is 22–27 cm (8.7–10.6 in) long with a 50–62 cm (20–24 in) wingspan. It is brown above, with white flecking on the shoulders. Underparts whitish streaked with rust. The head is large, with yellow eyes and a white facial disc, and a "surprised" appearance. The beak is light yellow colored rather than dark like its relative the northern saw-whet owl. The flight is strong and direct. Young birds are chocolate brown.
Feeding and diet 4
This small owl eats mainly voles and other mammals but also birds as well as insects and other invertebrates. It is largely nocturnal, though in the northern most parts of its range, it is forced to hunt during daylight because of the very short nights in summer.
Breeding 4
The boreal owl breeds in dense coniferous forests across northern North America and Eurasia, and in mountain ranges such as the Alps and the Rockies. It lays 3–6 eggs in a tree hole. Across much of Europe, and to a lesser extent in Asia and North America, naturalists and biologists put up nest boxes for these and other small owls.
Behaviour 4
The boreal owl is an unsociable nocturnal owl. Its call is similar in sound to the "winnowing" of the North American Wilson's snipe. This species is not normally migratory, but in some autumns significant numbers move further south. It is rarely any great distance south of its breeding range, although this is partly due to the problems of detecting this nocturnal owl outside the breeding season when it is not calling.
The boreal owl breeds in dense coniferous forests across northern North America and Eurasia, and in mountain ranges such as the Alps and the Rockies. It lays 3–6 eggs in a tree hole. Across much of Europe, and to a lesser extent in Asia and North America, naturalists and biologists put up nest boxes for these and other small owls.
This small owl eats mainly voles and other mammals but also birds as well as insects and other invertebrates. It is largely nocturnal, though in the northern most parts of its range, it is forced to hunt during daylight because of the very short nights in summer.
Banded boreal owls have been known to live up to 16 years. Due to the owl's small stature it is often preyed upon by other owls and large raptors thus decreasing its average life span.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Denali National Park and Preserve, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/denalinps/8615263478/
- (c) Hans Olofsson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/hans_olofsson/7272188944/
- (c) Matti Suopajärvi, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattisj/148300821/
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boreal_owl
More Info
Range Map
iNaturalist.ca Map
| Animal | Bird |
|---|---|
| Color | grey |
| Bird | Strigidae (owl) |
