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FLAMMULATED OWL } Otus flammeolus

RANGE: Western North America

STATUS: Flammulated owls are generally uncommon, but frequent in some areas, and considered Critically Imperiled in South Dakota and Wyoming.

THREATS: Unknown

Flammulated owls are named for their unique flamed coloration. They can be difficult to locate, as they are skilled ventriloquists. Their main call is a soft, deep woop, and when these owls hear someone nearby they sing more softly, making it sound as if they are far away. Flammulated owls live in open, coniferous mountain forests with brushy undergrowth from British Columbia south along the Rocky Mountains to Mexico and Central America. Unlike many owls, flammulated owls are migratory, leaving most of North America in the fall for southern climes.

Photo courtesy USFWS