Are they endangered?
No, they are not endangered worldwide. (IUCN Red list:
Least concern) Individual places in the world have
decreasing numbers of these birds. An example is the
United States. (New Mexico)
What are their
past/present problems?
Cutting down forest areas is a problem for Boreal Owls,
since this is where they live.
What do they look
like?
These birds have dark brown backs with white spots and
white bellies with brown spots. Their facial disks are
gray with white around the eyes. The eyes have a ring
of light yellow around them.
How big are they?
They are about 1 foot long. If they fully spread out their
wings, they would be about 2 feet wide. They are small birds.
How many eggs do they
lay?
Females lay between 2 and 6 white eggs once a year. The eggs
hatch in 5 weeks.
How long do the
fledglings stay in the nest?
They don’t actually make nests. They live in holes in trees or
in old woodpecker holes. The young birds (fledglings) leave the
nest in about 5 weeks.
When do they hunt?
They hunt at night. (nocturnal)
What do they eat?
Best of all, they like to eat and other small mammals they
find.
Where do they live?
They can be found in Europe, Asia, Scandinavia, Canada, and the
United States.
What kind of place do
they like to live in?
They like pine, spruce, and fir forests.
Interesting facts:
These birds have really good hearing. They can hear
even if they are under a lot of leaves or snow.
