Forest Owl Monitoring

Forest Owl Monitoring

Season Highlights

The Idaho Bird Observatory began a forest owl banding project in 1998 on the Boise Ridge that monitors fall movement patterns of Northern Saw-whet Owls, Flammulated Owls, Boreal Owls, and Northern Pygmy-owls. This study is the first in the western U.S. to capture and band significant numbers of both Northern Saw-whet and Flammulated Owls during fall migration. The study provides a unique opportunity to determine the timing, movement patterns, and migration cues associated with different age and sex classes in these two species. Information on body condition, morphometric measurements, and molt patterns is collected by project researchers to study the health of migrant owls. An Idaho Bird Observatory project is ongoing to develop more reliable aging and sexing criteria for Flammulated Owls. The forest owl monitoring project has direct conservation implications by providing information to land managers about the timing of forest owl migration and long-term population trends.

Data collected since 1998 indicates that the migration of Flammulated Owls through southwest Idaho peaks during the third week in September, while the peak in Saw-whet Owl movements on the Boise Ridge peaks during mid-October.

Sarah Hamilton, owl project coordinator, is studying aspects of forest owl migration for her Master's degree in Zoology at the University of Idaho; contact her at: hami5238@uidaho.edu