Owls
Boreal Owl
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Aegolius funereus
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Voice
Song
Lubomir Wójcicki
Song
Robert Petersen
Song
Robert Petersen
How to recognize it
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Pigeon-sized, compact, with a large head
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Brown upperparts with white spots on head, neck, and shoulders
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Pale gray underparts with faint brown streaking
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Yellow eyes and yellow bill; flight straight and nearly silent
About the species
The Boreal Owl is a small owl with a large head, long wings, and feathered feet. It usually keeps to itself, and in flight it moves almost silently and in a straight line.
In spring, the male can call for hours from a tree near the nest hole. Besides the breeding trill, it has a dull three-part call often given in flight, and a higher note used when returning to the nest area.
It lives in coniferous and mixed forests, especially taiga woods near lakes and bogs. It feeds mainly on mouse-like rodents and adds shrews when needed, and it stores spare prey in tree cavities. It is usually resident, but in years of poor food supply it may wander.
Where to find
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In old city parks with tall spruce and pine, listen at dusk for the male's long trilling call from a branch near a tree hole.
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Along canal banks, pond edges, and lake fringes with dark conifers, catch the low 'wa-wa-waa' in the evening light.
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In suburban woodland parks with hollow trees and nest boxes, a short hop between trunks can give away a daytime roost.
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On the edges of mossy bogs and taiga-like plantings, wintering individuals often sit motionless on a branch, scanning for voles.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Aegolius funereus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Boreal owl Encyclopedia article