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Boreal Owl

Aegolius funereusOrder: STRIGIFORMESFamily: True Owls (Strigidae)

Boreal Owl Portrait
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General

Boreal Owl: Medium-sized owl with white-spotted, brown upperparts and thick brown-streaked, white underparts. Head is black with numerous small white spots, face is white, and eyes are yellow-orange. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has a dark face, arched white eyebrows, and dark brown underparts.

Range and Habitat

Boreal Owl: Occurs in most of northern Canada and the Rocky mountains down to New Mexico. Preferred habitats include old-growth forests with woodpecker cavities for nesting.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"ting, ting, ting, ting"

Interesting Facts

  • The Boreal Owl is also known as Tengmalm's Owl, after the Swedish naturalist Peter Gustaf Tengmalm.
  • This owl was featured in the film 'Out of Africa' as Karen Blixen's pet, although it is not native to Africa and was not the species of owl the real Karen Blixen kept.
  • They are considered monogamous, though studies in Europe found that one male may mate with up to three females, and a female occasionally mates with two different males. This occurred most frequently when mice numbers were high.
  • A group of owls has many collective nouns, including a "bazaar", "glaring", "parliament", "stooping", and "wisdom" of owls.


Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Boreal Owl
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Family
Species Aegolius funereus
Length9 - 10 Inches
Wingspan23 Inches

Boreal Owl

Boreal Owl: Medium owl, white-spotted, brown upperparts and thick brown-streaked, white underparts. Head is black with numerous small white spots, facial disks bordered with black, eyes are yellow-orange. Short flights have rapid wingbeats, longer ones are bouyant with shallow, silent wing beats.

● Song: "ting, ting, ting, ting"

● Foraging & Feeding: Boreal Owl: Prey consists mainly of voles, lemmings, shrews, mice, and moles; occasionally takes small birds, squirrels, bats, frogs, and large beetles; hunts from low branch or tree trunk.

● Breeding & nesting: Boreal Owl: Two to six white eggs are laid in an old woodpecker hole or natural tree cavity; sometimes nests in artificial boxes. Incubation ranges from 28 to 29 days and is carried out by the female; male brings her food while on the nest.

● Similar species: Boreal Owl: Saw-whet Owl is smaller, has black bill and red-brown on facial disk.

Flight Pattern

Short flights., Rapidly beating wings.
Boreal Owl Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Boreal Owl: Occurs in most of northern Canada and the Rocky mountains down to New Mexico. Preferred habitats include old-growth forests with woodpecker cavities for nesting.
BreedingPolygamous
PopulationYes but uncommon
MigrationIrregular
Weight3.6 Ounces