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Boreal Owl

Boreal Owl

Aegolius funereus

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The Boreal Owl, known as Tengmalm's Owl in Europe, is a small, big-headed owl of the northern coniferous forests of Europe, Asia and North America and of mountain forests further south. Secretive and strictly nocturnal, it nests in cavities, often old Black Woodpecker holes or nest boxes, and feeds mainly on small mammals. Its numbers swing with vole cycles, and in autumn some birds wander long distances.

Did you know?

  • Its advertising song can resemble the winnowing sound of a snipe.
  • When found by day, it may sit calmly and let people approach within a few metres.

Voice

Song
Call

About the species

Identification

A small owl, brown above with white pearl-like spots; the breast is pale with irregular brown blotches. The head is large and round, the facial disc pale with bold white “eyebrows” and the eyes yellow; juveniles are much darker, with varying white on the face. Flight is direct and fairly strong. The song is a soft, even series of hoots.

Family

Strigidae

Size

Medium (thrush)

Colours

brown, white, grey, black

About the habitat

Mature boreal coniferous and mixed forest and subalpine mountain woods with nest holes and good prey supply; often hunts along forest edges, fields and clear-cuts.

Diet

Mainly small mammals – mice, voles and shrews – located in darkness with finely tuned hearing aided by asymmetrical ear openings; also small birds and occasionally frogs.

Behaviour

Nocturnal and often remarkably unwary if found by day. Males advertise with a soft, rapidly repeated hooting. Breeding begins early, from March; the female incubates for about 27 days and the young leave the nest at 3–4 weeks. In good vole years a female may lay up to nine eggs. In autumn some birds, especially young ones, undertake long irruptive movements, while older males tend to stay resident. Flight is direct and nearly silent.

Sources

Photo: Stefan Berndtsson, CC BY 2.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pärluggla, Varberg, Hallands Län, Sverige.jpg

Sound: Robert Petersen, XC986002, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://xeno-canto.org/986002

Sound: Alexander Kurthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vulpes_vulpes,_at_Henclová,_Slovakia_XC108315.mp3

Text: Wikipedia (English) + FinBIF species descriptions + Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0; FinBIF: CC BY 4.0; Wikipedia: CC BY-SA 4.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boreal_owl

See also