HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS OF THE BARRED OWL IN THE BOREAL FOREST OF SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA

Little information exists regarding Barred Owl (strix varia) habitat r equirements in the boreal forest. During 1993, we located Barred Owls through call-playback surveys in the boreal forest of central Saskatch ewan, Canada. We analyzed habitat found within 1.5 km and 3.0 km radiu s circles centered on 25 Barred Owl locations, 100 random locations an d 275 survey locations. We compared habitat found within random circle s to that found at survey and owl locations. Habitat at survey locatio ns 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 avoide d young for est and treed muskeg. As in other portions of its range, t he Barred Owl is associated with old forest in boreal forest.