Caribou-Targhee National Forest

Wildlife - Forest Owl Populations

Taken from the Final Environmental Impact Statement
1997 Revised Forest Plan
Targhee National Forest

Forest owls include the flammulated, boreal, and great gray. We do not know and are not able to provide population estimates for these species. The following documents what we know about their relative abundance and distribution on the Forest.

Flammulated Owl: We expect the flammulated owl to be present on the Forest only during the breeding season. We consider this owl to be rare on the Forest, as we have only documented it in four locations.

For lands adjacent to the Forest, flammulated owls have been documented on only three areas: the Madison Ranger District of the Beaverhead N. F.; the Sand Creek Wildlife Management Area north of St. Anthony, Idaho; and BLM land near Moose Creek (Keepout Draw) in Teton Valley.

Boreal Owl: The boreal owl is considered to be a year-round resident on the Forest. When the AMS was completed in 1992, only three boreal owl observations had been recorded: Sawtell Peak in 1987, Targhee Creek in 1988 and McGarry Canyon in 1990. All of these observations were in the Centennial Mountains Subsection. Since completion of the AMS, more boreal owl surveys have been done on the Forest and boreal owls have been documented in five subsections: Centennial Mountains, Island Park, Madison Pitchstone Plateaus, Teton Range and Big Hole Mountains. In relation to other owls on the Forest, we consider this owl to be uncommon in terms of abundance.

For lands adjacent to the Forest, boreal owls have been documented in these areas: the Leadore Ranger District on the Salmon/Challis N.F.; the Dillion and Madison Ranger Districts on the Beaverhead N.F.; the Hebgen Lake Ranger District on the Gallatin N.F.; Yellowstone and GTNP; the Greys River Ranger District on the Bridger-Teton N.F.

Great Gray Owl: The great gray owl is a year-round resident on the Forest. The great gray owl has been documented in every subsection of the Forest. In relation to other owls on Forest, we consider these owl to be common in terms of abundance.

For lands adjacent to the Forest, great gray owls have been documented in these areas: BLM lands and State of Idaho lands; the Madison Ranger District on the Beaverhead N.F.; Red Rocks Lake National Wildlife Refuge; the Hebgen Lake Ranger District on the Gallatin N.F.; Yellowstone and GTNP; the Greys River Ranger District on the Bridger-Teton N.F.

USDA Forest Service - Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Last Modified: Tuesday, 25 September 2007 at 15:07:52 EDT