The Barred Owl has long been considered an owl of “deep, dark woods”, inhabiting heavily wooded areas including swamps and upland forests.26 Numerous accounts of Barred Owls from the southern and eastern part of its range confirm this bird’s preference for concealing roost sites in densely foliated coniferous and deciduous trees.1'4’5’9 The use of such sites would presumably provide protection from mobbing birds, as well as protection from cold. Barred Owl roost sites are also reported to be used repeatedly, as indicated by numerous pellets and whitewash below. We compare our observations of Barred Owl roost sites in the southern boreal forest of central Saskatchewan with these aspects of the traditional description of roost sites.

Barred Owl roost sites