Although rarely observed, Teller County a hotspot for Flammulated Owl | Words on Birds
Even among owls, the Flammulated is especially shy and secretive. I have only observed them once — decades ago in the Pennock Pass area near Estes Park. However, Teller County can be considered a hotspot for this species due to extensive research on this tiny owl in the Manitou Experimental Forest, just north of Woodland Park.
“Flams” are now considered one of the more numerous of the small owls, but observations are rare because of their furtive behavior.
Owls are more often heard than seen. Their mostly brownish plumage provides excellent camouflage to stay hidden during daylight hours. They have large heads, short necks and an upright posture, and some have feather tufts on their head. Most owls are nocturnal and are found in or near wooded areas where they use a “perch and wait” hunting style. They have flat facial discs that allow them to better “catch” sounds of food items rustling below.
Other predatory adaptations include hooked beaks, strong feet with sharp talons and frayed edges on feathers that allow for silent flight. Some other owls that occur locally are the large Great Horned and the tiny Northern Pygmy, Western Screech and Northern Saw-whet.
The Flammulated Owl has short head tufts (often flattened) and is the only owl in our area with dark eyes (the other owls have yellow eyes). Their heavily mottled grayish plumage is highlighted with rusty colors on the face and shoulders. Flams are paler below and the sexes appear similar. They are the tiniest local owl, not much bigger than a sparrow! Flams are strictly nocturnal, feeding mostly on large insects and sometimes smaller invertebrates. They forage mostly at dusk and dawn and are less active at night.
The repeated low-pitched hoots of Flams are muffled, monotonous and long-winded. They are more vocal in late spring and early summer. When I had the privilege of observing them, locating them was aided by higher-pitched nasally hoots emitted right at dusk when they began collecting food for their young.
Preferred habitats for Flams include open and mature Ponderosa Pine and Douglas-fir/Ponderosa Pine forest, often mixed with mature aspen groves. They are cavity nesters, typically moving into woodpecker holes and they will also use nest boxes. While other owls are resident, due to their insectivorous diet Flams are migratory. They typically arrive in early May and depart in early October.
Notable reports in September from the Woodland Park Yard Area:
Red-tailed Hawk — chasing squirrels and neighbors chickens on Sept. 22 and 28
Broad-tailed Hummingbird — last seen on Sept. 8
Calliope Hummingbird — a few around through Sept. 12
Eurasian Collared-Dove — one or two around most of the time, singing on Sept. 10
Mourning Dove — a few sightings, last seen on Sept. 20
Mountain Bluebird — two on Sept. 15 and 28
Clark’s Nutcracker — one on Sept. 28
Ruby-crowned Kinglet — one on Sept. 10
Red-breasted Nuthatch — one on Sept. 8 and 14
Wilson’s Warbler — a few around most of the time, fall migrants, last seen on Sept. 28
Yellow-rumped Warbler — a few around most of the time, loose flock of about 15 on Sept. 28
Green-tailed Towhee — a few sightings, last seen on Sept. 29
Brewer’s Sparrow — one fall migrant on Sept. 18, new species for yard area
Chipping Sparrow — a few sightings, flock of 10 on Sept. 1, last seen on Sept. 29
White-crowned Sparrow — one fall migrant from Sept. 24 to 28
Brewer’s Blackbird — flyover of a few fall migrants on Sept. 19 and 29, new species for yard area
Joe LaFleur studied wildlife biology and communications at Colorado State University and is the creator of “Better Birdwatching,” a DVD series on North American birds. Contact him with questions and feedback at joe@betterbirdwatching.com.
A juvenile Flammulated Owl in nest cavity. Note the dark eyes, all other local owls have yellow eyes. Inset at bottom tight: An adult “Flam.” Note the rusty highlights on shoulders and face and tiny body size, not much bigger than a sparrow!
JOE LAFLEUR