20 

 owl vocalization to be slightly higher in pitch than the recorded 

 flammulated owl calls used for surveying. Near Helena, Montana 

 in 1990, a flammulated owl nest was found in an aspen snag in a 

 lodgepole pine/spruce forest (Pers comm. D. Genter) . In British 

 Columbia these owls are found in dry, mature Douglas fir forests 

 with canopy closure of 35-65% (Howie and Ritcey 1987) . In 

 Colorado, Reynolds and Linkhart (1987) found flammulated owls 

 more associated with mature-old growth ponderosa pine. 



' • s RECOMMENDATIONS 



Surveys for the flammulated owl should continue on the 

 Livingston District and elsewhere in Montana. So little is known 

 about this species in Montana that distribution data is vital to 

 the U. S. Forest Service when making decisions in forest 

 management. Boreal owls have been found throughout western 

 Montana and it is now more important to focus on boreal owl 

 habitat and population dynamics in relation to timber management. 

 Surveys should focus on locating nests. Information that could 

 be gathered once nest sites are found includes: nesting success, 

 food habits, and micro and macro habitat requirements. By 

 conducting more comprehensive studies with telemetry, information 

 could be gathered on critical foraging habitat, roosting habitat, 

 dispersal of fledglings and the interconnection of geographically 

 distinct populations. 



