Flammulated Owl
Otus flammeolus
Status
Special Concern
Description
The Flammulated Owl is a tiny forest owl that is about 15-17 cm tall. It has grey, dark brown or reddish brown feathers that are tipped with orange. It has dark eyes and small ear tufts. They are more often identified by their sound which is a one or two-note low pitched hoot that sounds like a disntict "boop" or "booboop".
Habitat
The Flammulated Owl depends on mature and old-growth Douglas fir dominant forests with some Ponderosa pine. They also need wildlife trees for nesting, a low to moderate canopy closure, thickets of younger Douglas-fir for security cover, and open forest patches with shrub under-story for foraging. They breed in ecosystems with frequent stand-maintaining fires.
Threats
Removal of wildlife trees
Fire suppression creating overly-thick forest
Habitat loss due to human development and logging
Mountain Pine Beetle and Douglas Fir Beetle infestation
You Can Help!
Conserve and protect old growth forest
Retain dead and dying trees and old growth forests
Retain healthy native plant communities in under-story
