Nessy, Sasquatch, and the Flammulated Owl

Sketchy descriptions, grainy photographs, legends and tales. These are the hallmarks of iconic figures of cryptozoology, such as the Loch Ness monster and our local favorite, the Sasquatch. I have a couple of birds that have been personal nemesis, seemingly as mysterious as the legendary serpent and  ape-man of lore. Sometimes, I have wondered if these birds really exist, or that they may just  be some long standing joke among professional and amateur ornithologists.

                     
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                   
One such bird is the Flammulated Owl. This tiny owl (barely 6-inches tall) is rarely ever seen during the daytime. Most often, birders only get to hear the low monotone hoot of the male owl, long after sundown. The trachea of this tiny owl is larger than might be expected, allowing the hoot to sound like a much larger bird. A pretty handy bluff when you are not much bigger than a small juice can.

                                                             Flammulated Owl
                                             Photo courtesy the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

In our area, Flamms (as they are known by all the cool birders) might be found in open Ponderosa Pine and Douglas-fir stands on south facing slopes. Last week I was part of group that went out looking for Flamms on the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge. Guided by refuge biologist, Mike Munts, we indeed did hear a male Flamm hooting. AND, in response, we heard a female calling back. A Life Bird for me! They do exist and are significantly easier to find than Nessy or Bigfoot.

Flammulated owls depend on large nest cavities created by large woodpeckers, such as the Pileated Woodpecker. Pileateds need to find large snags to excavate in order to create nests big enough for them. Thus, Flammualted Owls seek out large diameter pine forests to nest and forage. They specialize in hunting moths and large insects near the tops of these large conifer.

Little is known about this highly nocturnal migratory bird. They winter in Mexico and Central America and summer in the pine forests of the Rocky Mountains, Cascades and southern British Columbia. If you go searching for Flamms be sure to plan on being the woods well after sundown (after 10 PM). Scout for stands of large diameter Ponderosa Pines on south facing slopes. Become familiar with the call by listening to recordings on birding web pages like the  All About Birds page developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Be patient, listen to all of the night sounds. And see if you can add the Flamm to your Life List.

Good Birding!

          - Hawkeye