Habitat
Dense coniferous forest, mixed forest, thickets of alder, aspen, or stunted spruce, most commonly in proximity to open grassy situations (AOU 1983); muskeg bogs. Breed, roost, and forage, in boreal forests of Alaska characterized by black and white spruce, aspen, poplar, birch, and balsam fir (Bondrup-Nielson 1978, Meehan and Ritchie 1982). Primarily mature or old-growth forests. Nests in natural cavities or those excavated by Pileated Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers. Will use nest boxes (Hayward and Hayward 1993). Nests in Fairbanks within closed canopy, deciduous or mixed forest (Meehan and Ritchie 1982). May forage in openings as well (Korpimaki 1988a).
References
AOU. 1983. Check-list of North American birds. 6th ed.American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington D. C.
Bondrup-Nielson, S. 1984. Vocalization of the Boreal Owl, Aegolius funereus richardsoni, in North America. Canadian Field-Naturalist 98:191-197.
Hayward, G. D. and P. H. Hayward. 1993. Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus). In The Birds of North America, Vol. 7, No.63 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists’ Union.
Koprimaki, E. 1988a. Effects of territory quality on occupancy, breeding performance and breeding dispersal in Tengmalm’s Owl. Journal of Animal Ecology 57: 97-108.
Meehan, R. H. and R. J. Ritchie. 1982. Habitat requirements of Boreal and Hawk Owls in interior Alaska. Pp. 188-196 in Raptor management and biology in Alaska and western Canada: Symposium and workshop, February 17-20, 1981, Anchorage, AK (W. N. Ladd, and P. F. Schempf, eds.). Anchorage, AK.
