Boreal owl

3D Model

Boreal owls (Aegolius funereus) are found in coniferous forests in the mountains and boreal forest across the northern hemisphere. This owl is well studied in Europe, but little is known about its diet and nesting ecology in Western Canada. Corey Scobie (Assistant Curator of Ornithology) and Chris Jass (Curator of Quaternary Paleontology) are installing nest boxes in Central Alberta to attract Boreal owls so they can monitor nesting attempts and collect pellets. Chris is interested in the skeletal material from the pellets for the purpose of comparing the teeth morphology of heather voles (and close relatives) to those in the fossil record. Corey will explore relationships between boreal owl nest survival, the prey found in their pellets and the vegetation and landscape features surrounding the nest boxes.