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Boreal Owl

Aegolius funereusOrder: STRIGIFORMESFamily: True Owls (Strigidae)
Boreal Owl Head Illustration

Head

  • Bill Shape: Hooked
  • Eye Color: Grayish yellow in hatchlings, turning light blue, eventually becoming bright sulfur-yellow in adults.
  • Head Pattern: Spotted, Special (unique patterns or features)
  • Crown Color: Flat black crown with white spotting.
  • Forehead Color: Black with white spots and fluffy white eyebrows and "moustache". White facial disk rimmed in black.
  • Nape Color: Black with white spotting.
  • Throat Color: Black with white spotting.
  • Cere color: Yellow
Boreal Owl Body Illustration

Body

  • Length Range: 23-25 cm (9-10 in)
  • Weight: 102 g (3.6 oz)
  • Size: Size 3. Medium (9 - 16 in)
  • Color: White, Brown, Gray
  • Underparts: White washed with buff-white; belly with thick, vertical brown streaks.
  • Upperparts: Dark brown with white spotting.
  • Back Pattern: Spotted or speckled, Mottled
  • Belly Pattern: Spotted or speckled, Striped or streaked
  • Breast Pattern: Spotted or speckled, Striped or streaked

Flight

  • Flight Pattern: Short flights., Rapidly beating wings.
  • Wingspan Range: 51-66 cm (20-26 in)
  • Wing Shape: Broad-Wings, Long-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Rounded Tail
  • Tail Pattern: Dark Brown
  • Upper Tail: Dark brown with white spotting.
  • Under Tail: White
  • Leg Color: Feathered in White washed with yellow-brown.y white.
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Family True Owl (Strigidae)_blue
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