Out There

British Columbia’s flammulated owl is the size of a sparrow, and is one of only two Canadian owls that head south for winter.

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Otus flammeolus

REGION

Montane forests of southern British Columbia

CONSERVATION STATUS

Special concern

WHY SO SPECIAL?

The smallest owl in Canada, similar in size to a house sparrow

COOL FACTS

The flammulated owl is one of only two owls (the burrowing owl being the other) that regularly migrate south during the frigid winter months. The other 14 owl species in Canada are year-round residents. The flammulated owl’s small body size means it has a large surface area in proportion to its body mass, and as a result it loses body heat more readily than larger owls do, so life in cold weather would be a challenge for it. As well, the owl’s diet consists of moths, grasshoppers, crickets and beetles — all of which disappear once the weather turns cold. These tiny owls head south to Mexico and Central America in September and return to breed in May.