The boreal, or Richardson's owl, is similar to the saw-whet owl but is larger in size and has spots instead of streaks on the forehead. The upper parts are grey-brown with white spots on the forehead, crown and the area around the facial disk.
Larger spots are on the hindneck and wings, and the tail is barred.
A distinctive brown bar separates the head from the breast. The breast is white with streaks and blotches of brown. Upon returning from their wintering areas in the northern states, boreal owls take up residence in the coniferous forests of the northern hemisphere. In Alberta, they breed in all but the alpine and prairie zones. Using old woodpecker nests and empty tree cavities, the owls lay 4 to 6 eggs.