RFI

[Ali]

This evening at approximately 9:45pm I heard the song of either a Boreal Owl or an Eastern Screech Owl just north west of Yonge & St Clair. Has anyone heard of either of these owls in mid-town Toronto? I have heard them in Algonquin Park (and other more northern and forested areas) but not in the city before.....

I have listened to both of their calls on the Cornell Lab website and it could be either. This site however does not have the Boreal Owl usually coming this far south.

Any ideas?

Thank you.

[BIGFRANK]

Hi Ali,this time of year almost any kind of owl could be seen in the city. Eastern Screech Owls are the most common nesting owl in the city of Toronto. A Boreal Owl sighting,would be more uncommon,but not unheard of. I know that an Owl Walk used to be held at Mount Pleasant Cemetary in early February each year. I have found Great Horned Owl feathers in MPC in the summer. That is right around the area U mentioned. Final opinion...of the 2 choices Id go with Screech Owl.

[GStuart]

In the house I grew up in (Yonge and York Mills area) I could frequently hear Screech Owls in the evenings.  I've never seen or heard a Boreal Owl in the GTA, however.

[Craig McL]

My records for Boreal Owl in the GTA only go back to 1995 but I have seen 11  birds in the GTA in that time !!

 but I have never heard them calling in the GTA, I am sheer all are first year birds and wood be saving that for the Boreal forest .  

Craig

[Ali]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I heard the owl again last night from the same area so I am thinking it is probably nesting? Went out for the look around this morning and there is a very large old tree in a neighbors yard with a knot hole that may be the location. Perhaps our proximity to MPC and the feilds of UCC school make this a prime hunting location.

I wish I had a recorder so I could post the call that I am hearing nightly. The call is low, throaty, starts on a low note moves up two for a long series of toots and then back down to the original note. When I listen to both the Eastern Screech and the Boreal again on the Cornell site it sounds more like the Boreal, but based on the notes you have entered below I am sure it is probably an Eastern Screech.  I will be keeping a keen eye out for it after dark!

After growing up in Don Mills and never hearing an owl in the city before I am quite excited at the prospect of a possible nesting!

Ali

[cloaca]

According to the ROM's Ontario nidiology guide, the egg dates for Eastern Screech Owl are from 20 March to 7 June.