Little information exists regarding Barred Owl (Strix varia) habitat requirements in the boreal forest. During 1993, we located Barred Owls through call-playback surveys in the boreal forest of central Saskatchewan, Canada. We analyzed habitat found within 1.5 km and 3.0 km radius circles centered on 25 Barred Owl locations, 100 random locations and 275 survey locations. We compared habitat found within random circles to that found at survey and owl locations. Habitat at survey locations differed from random locations for four habitat types, indicating a habitat bias of road-based surveys. Barred Owls were found associated with old mixed-wood forest, old deciduous forest and water, and avoided young forest and treed muskeg. As in other portions of its range, the Barred Owl is associated with old forest in boreal forest.

Strix varia; Barred Owl; bateal forest;, habitat association; Saskatchewa