Boreal Owl
Scientific Name Aegolius funereus
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The Boreal Owl has a great sense of hearing.
Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Image Source

What does the Boreal Owl look like?

The Boreal Owl is a small owl. It grows to be about ten inches tall. It has long wings and a large head. The Boreal Owl is brown with white spots. It has yellow eyes and a white face with a dark outline.



Where do Boreal Owls live?

Boreal Owls live in dense forest. They like living in the Boreal Forest and highland forests. They do not build nests, but take over abandoned woodpecker holes or tree cavities. They breed in isolated places high in the Rocky Mountains.


They can be found in Alaska, Canada, Northern Eurasia. They can also be found in far northern Minnesota and the mountains of the western United States.


What does a Boreal Owl eat?

The Boreal Owl eats large insects, small mammals, and small birds.


Interesting facts about the Boreal Owl:

Female Boreal Owls are larger than males. The Boreal Owl finds its prey by sound. Their ear openings are actually asymmetrical. This means that on the owl's head one opening is higher than the other. This allows the Boreal Owl to tell exactly where a sound comes from. It can actually find mice through vegetation or even under snow.

Additional Images:
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Map of the Boreal Owl's range.
Achim Raschka
Image Source
Click to Enlarge Picture
The Boreal Owl has yellow eyes.
Achim Raschka, USDA Forest Service
Image Source
Link http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Boreal_Owl/id
Link http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Aegolius&species=funereus
References

References include the above links.

 

Vanner, Michael. The Complete Encyclopedia of North American Birds. Bath, UK: Parragon Publishing, 2005.


 

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