Otus flammeolus
flammulated owl

Flammulated owls breed in aspen, ponderosa, and Jeffrey Pines. They winter in central and south Mexico, as far south as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

The Flammulated owl is generally associated with montane forested habitats often with brushy understory. This owl may also occur in forests with mixes of oak, Douglas Fir, white fir, incense cedar, or sugar pine.

Flammulated owls are 6 inches (17cm) in length with a wingspan of 14 inches. They have big, round heads with large dark brown eyes. The ear tufts are small. Their bill is gray or blue. There are two color morphs of this species. Birds in the Great Basin mountains are grayish and have the coarsest markings; those in the southeast are reddish. The ventral side of both morphs generally tend to be blotched with gray, black, and reddish-brown. The dorsal side of the gray morph is mainly gray with reddish-brown on the back of the neck, and on the retrices and remiges. The dorsal side of the red morph is reddish-brown. A key field mark of this species is the streak of reddish feathers along the shoulder and onto the back. This "flaming" streak is what gives this bird its Latin and common name. The young tend to have a gray upperbody and a dull white or grayish-white underbody that is barred with a grayish-rust color.

There is no sexual dimorphism between the sexes. The sexes are alike in appearance although the male and female can be distinguished by call, as the female has a higher pitched whining call.

Otus flammeolus are small, nocturnal owls. They are believed to be one of the most migratory owls in North America. Populations begin autumn migration in August or early September. Otus flammeolus tends to be monogamous.

There is no evidence of "divorce, but an individual may get a new mate if a mate is lost during the winter. Maximum longevity in the wild is about 7-8 years.

Otus flammeolus are insectivores. They feed on insects, moths, beetles, and crickets. Flammulated owls are predators that sit on a perch and pounce on their prey. They hunt at night, mainly at dusk or dawn, by visually locating prey from their perch, then flying to capture it in the air or pick it off needles, branches or the ground.

Flammulated owls keep the population of insects down. Thus they may provide pest control.

Flammulated owls are losing their habitat as a result of the human need for wood. This in turn makes it difficult for them to find a nesting site, and it also makes it hard to hide from predators. Timber harvesting in older Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine forests has the single greatest impact on Flammulated Owl breeding habitat in British Columbia by affecting cavity and prey availability. Firewood cutting and removal of "danger trees" can also reduce the availability of nest trees.