A recent and uncommon patient for TRC, a boreal owl, returned to the trees on March 22 after a successful 10-week rehabilitation in TRC’s raptor hospital. The Raptor Center hospital can go years without treating a boreal owl, as the usual habitat for this species is hundreds of miles north in the boreal forests of Canada. This winter’s owl irruption brought several northern owl species south in search of prey, including boreal owls, and TRC admitted four of them. This little guy (suspected male)

Today's Video of the Week features one of the most secretive North American owls, the Boreal Owl. These little raptors are rarely out in the day, making this a special observation that offers a great window into this bird's remarkable ability to hear prey moving under the snow. The owl doesn't catch its prey this time, but its close scrutiny of the ground suggests the owl knows its target is still there. Look closely towards the end of the video to see the spots in the back of the owl's head tha

🐦This week’s boreal bird is the Northern Hawk Owl — a sleek, fast hunter and unlike most owls, it’s diurnal, meaning it’s hunt day or night. It scans the Boreal Forest from treetops before diving with incredible speed and accuracy to catch its prey - mostly small mammals during the summer and mostly other birds during the winter. The Northern Hawk Owl thrives in open stretches of the Boreal, especially areas recovering from fire — a reminder that disturbance can be part of a healthy forest. 🌲�