Flammulated Owl - Nesting

Nesting

The Flammulated Owl nests in tree cavities and has 2–4 young at a time after a 26-day incubation period. The young are able to forage for their own prey after about 25–32 days (Samson, 2005). These owls are obligate cavity nesters meaning they will only create nests in tree cavities and no where else, (Linkhart & Renyolds, 2007). Females usually select cavities that used to be woodpecker or northern flicker nests(Samson, 2005). Their nests are bare and have no nesting material. Flammulated owls tend to form breeding pairs with unoccupied habitat between breeding clusters (Marti). They tend to have one clutch of eggs annually. Like other raptors they can live long and have high nesting success, (Linkhart & Renyolds, 2007). During the nesting period the female owls rely on the males to forage for them, (Linkhart & Renyolds, 2007). Nesting habitat in the western U.S. and Canada is usually mature, open ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests. Flammulated owls can also be found breeding in deciduous forests with some conifers present(Marti). In deciduous type habitat flammulated owls can still be productive in terms of breeding.