Boreal Owl

Fairbanks, Alaska

I met a local birder in Fairbanks who invited me to see a nesting Boreal Owl on his property. The female was incubating eggs near hatching and wouldn’t leave the next box. After a gentle tap on the box with a stick she briefly peaked out and gave a look of one of Alaska’s most elusive owls. It wasn’t the best owl photograph I’ve ever taken, but it certainly is one of the most memorable

Interesting Fact: Boreal Owls often nest in abandoned woodpecker cavities, but they readily use nest boxes. In some parts of Alaska, nest-box programs have helped researchers study these secretive owls.