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Articles

Vol. 6 No. 1 (1975)

NOTES: BOREAL OWL SIGHTING IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Submitted
August 20, 2025
Published
January 1, 1975

Abstract

On 3 February 1974 at 1400 we located a Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) approximately 1 km northwest of Soda Butte in the Lamar Valley of northern Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (44° 50' N, 110° 10' W). The sighting occurred in a fairly open stand of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta). When first sighted the owl was perched on a dead limb 2 m above the ground, but later flew 10 m to a live Douglas-fir where it perched 4 m above the ground. Seemingly undisturbed by our presence, the owl allowed us to approach within 5 m to observe and photograph it for nearly an hour (Figure 1).

References