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Flammulated Owl

Otus flammeolusOrder: STRIGIFORMESFamily: True Owls (Strigidae)

Flammulated Owl Portrait
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General

Flammulated Owl: Small owl with two color morphs (gray-brown and rufous) with many intermediate forms. Head has ear tufts, dark eyes surrounded by rust-brown, pale-gray facial disk, and white eyebrows that start at the bill. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Flammulated Owl: Breeds in western U.S. and spends winters in central and southern Mexico as far south as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Prefers montane forests supporting aspen, ponderosa, and Jeffrey Pines.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"boo-BOOT"

Interesting Facts

 The Flammulated Owl was once considered rare, but improved census techniques revealed that they actually are common. Some consider it the most abundant owl of western pine forests.

 Their monotonous flat toot can be difficult to locate. The softness of the call, together with the gradual beginning and end make its direction hard to detect.

 In addition, when the owl detects a person, it sings even more softly, making it sound as if the owl is far away.

 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 Flammulated Owl
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family True Owl (Strigidae)_blue
Species Otus flammeolus
Length6 - 7 Inches
Wingspan13 Inches

Flammulated Owl

Flammulated Owl: Small owl with two color morphs (gray-brown and rufous) with many intermediate forms. The head has very small ear tufts, and dark eyes surrounded by rust-brown, pale-gray facial disk, and white eyebrows that start at the bill. It is the only small owl with dark, not yellow, eyes.

● Song: "boo-BOOT"

● Foraging & Feeding: Flammulated Owl: Eats insects and other arthropods almost exclusively, including moths, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars, centipedes, millipedes, spiders, and scorpions. Prey is taken on the ground, from foliage, and in mid-air.

● Breeding & nesting: Flammulated Owl: Two to four white to creamy white eggs are laid in an old woodpecker hole or natural tree cavity; artificial nest boxes are sometimes used. Female incubates eggs for 21 to 24 days; male brings her food on the nest. Young fledge at 21 to 25 days old.

● Similar species: Flammulated Owl: Eastern and Western Screech-Owls are larger, have yellow eyes, and lack rust-brown shoulder patches.

Flight Pattern

Slow light steady wing beats.
Flammulated Owl Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Flammulated Owl: Breeds in western U.S. and spends winters in central and southern Mexico as far south as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Prefers montane forests supporting aspen, ponderosa, and Jeffrey Pines.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationWidespread, Common in range
MigrationMigratory
Weight1.9 Ounces