BACK
Upcoming Tour Date(s)
Sep 28 - Oct 2, 2025 —
6 of 7 Spaces Available
Oct 5-9, 2025 —
6 of 7 Spaces Available
I want to thank Pitta Tours for an amazing trip. Mike Hearell went above and beyond to accommodate our needs. He was the best, and even better, we got all our target birds!
Jim W Boreal Owling Adventure, 2023
Tour Details
Boreal Owling Adventure A tour years in the making!
Embarking on a tour to catch a glimpse of the elusive Boreal Owl promises an exhilarating and memorable adventure. Nestled deep within the enchanting boreal forests of North America, this enigmatic nocturnal bird offers a thrilling challenge to spot. As the sun sets and darkness envelops the wilderness, we will gather with our binoculars and hushed anticipation under a starlit canopy, with hoots and calls echoing through the tranquil woods. With patience and a keen eye, lucky observers may be rewarded with the sight of this charismatic owl, its plumage adorned with intricate patterns that blend seamlessly with the trees. This experience, surrounded by the serenity of the forest, is a testament to the beauty of nature and the wonders it holds for those willing to seek them out.
Tour Leader(s): Tim Avery
Itinerary
Please note, the ACTUAL itinerary for each tour will vary depending on dates, moon phases, and a number of other factors. All tours will visit the same locations for the same birds, but potentially on different days and orders from what is shown below.
Day 1 - An Intro to Mountain Owls The Great Salt Lake to the South Hills
This morning our guide will pick you up at your hotel near the airport no later than 7:00 am. We will spend the morning visiting a couple sites along the Great Salt Lake as we travel north to Twin Falls, Idaho. After getting checked in to our hotel we’ll grab boxed dinners to head into the mountains to try for Flammulated Owl and Northern Saw-whet Owl after dark. There will hopefully also be a few Common Poorwill still around.
Night in Twin Falls, Idaho
Day 2 - Cassia Crossbills & Gray Partridge The Souths Hills to Cottonwood Heights
Starting the day off, we will visit the agricultural areas around Twin Falls in search of Gray Partridge, as well as any raptors that might be hanging around. Making our way into the South Hills we’ll put our effort towards finding the endemic Cassia Crossbill. The mountains here provide a good opportunity for a variety of other species and we will spend a good portion of our day exploring and seeing what we can find. In the afternoon, our short visit to Idaho will wrap up as we head back to Utah. And maybe, after dark we visit a local park near the hotel to try for Western Screech-Owl.
Night in Cottonwood Heights
Day 3 - Time for Boreal Owls The Mountains of Utah
This morning we will set off to visit a site in the Wasatch Mountains which tower over our hotel in Cottonwood Heights. The Wasatch represent the west edge of the Rockies and happen to represent some of the best mountain owl habitat in the west! Our goal this morning will be to see if we can manage to track down a Northern Pygmy-Owl. This species is often vocal in the fall, and while it gets easier as the season gets later, we hope to add this bonus owl to our checklist for this tour! Being out in the morning will inevitably mean we see a few other birds. While things can be sparse this time of year, things like Mountain Chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, Spotted Towhee, Steller's Jay, and Golden Eagle are possible. Making the most of our morning we will visit a nearby reservoir and see what migrating waterbirds are around. After a light lunch we will take an afternoon break.
Tonight we will pick up a boxed dinner to go and start our hour drive east to the Uinta Mountains. The goal will be to make it to our final destination with some daylight remaining to check out the scenery, and see what montane species might be around. After darkness descends we’ll spend as much time needed to try and track down Boreal Owl—the main target of this adventure.
Night in Cottonwood Heights
Day 4 - Boreal Owling Backup The Mountains of Utah
Today is largely open on the itinerary on purpose. We want to make sure we have chances to try and get anything we missed during the week. With that said we may spend the day taking a scenic drive, and/or visiting several migrant traps and bodies of water. Regardless of what we end up doing, we’ll see a few birds to fill the day.
Tonight is reserved as the backup for any of the mountain owls we may still need. The focus will be on Boreal as our main target, but if we had good looks the night before, then we’ll do some owling closer to SLC tonight!
Night in Cottonwood Heights
Day 5 - Clean Up and Goodbyes! Wrapping up our Adventure!
This morning our guide will use their time with you to pick off any remaining targets, or help build your lists up. Hopefully, we've had a good week of birding and today is an easy ending to a fun week in the Mountain West!
After a late lunch at Utah’s best Mexican restaurant, we will drop everyone off at nearby hotels or the airport no later than 3:00 pm.
End of Tour!
2025 Pricing
What's Included & What to Expect
What to Expect on Your Tour
On the day our tour beings we will provide pickup from a list of provided Airport Hotels no later than 7:00 am. At the end of the tour, we will drop you off at the airport or nearby hotels no later than 3:00 PM.
Transportation
Throughout the tour, we will travel in our comfortable 12-person Transit Van (aptly named Otus). Since this tour caps at 7-people, that means each of our 3-rows in the back has just 2-people, with the 7th passenger riding shotgun. Lots of room to stretch out with your gear and not feel like a sardine in a tin. Throughout the tour, we'll switch up seating arrangements so everyone gets a different view day-to-day.
We provide a step stool for easy access in and out of the van and ice-cold water is available whenever you need from the back of the van with a custom tour water bottle provided for you to keep at the beginning of the tour.
Accommodations
Accommodations are typically quite comfortable and often the best available in the vicinity. This usually means mid to higher-to-mid-end chains, usually Hilton or Choice, and their various sub-brands.
Meals
Breakfasts will usually be boxed and eaten in the field. Some mornings we may eat at hotels if time permits with our itinerary. Lunches and dinners are at our favorite local restaurants, with the exception of the night the tour starts, when we'll take a boxed dinner into the field. Water and soft drinks are included with meals, but alcoholic drinks ARE NOT. They may be purchased on your own with meals.
Pace
The pace of the tour is slow. With several target owl species we will be biridng very deliberately in mornings and evenings. Afternoons will be reserved to rest.
Difficulty
For the most part, the tour is not physically demanding. We will be owling at high elevations (8,500-10,500') and hiking short distances of up to 4 miles roundtrip. Due to the elevation and some uneven terrain we suggest being in good physical shape to take part in this adventure.
Weather and Temperature
This time of year the weather may be unpredictable. Day time highs at lower elevations may peak in the 80's, while night-time lows in the mountains can get into the 30's. Most of our owling will take part in the mountains in mornings and evenings, and warm layers are recommended to be prepared for anything. Snow and rain is alwasy a possibility and with the nature of this tour and we can make no guarantees that we will be able to reach our owling sites.
Insects, Snakes, and Predators
Insects shouldn't be too big of an issues. Some mosquitoes may be lingering if we have warm weather, but generally the bugs are minimal this time of year. Snakes are unlikely and we would be thrilled to come across either a Cougar or Black Bear on this tour!
Non-bird Highlights
- Moose, Elk, Mule Deer, Mountain Goat, Pronghorn, and a handful of smaller mammals
- The Great Salt Lake
- Beautiful Fall Foliage
- The Milky Way
- Shoshone Falls
What's Included
- Professional Guide Service
- Transportation from SLC
- 4-nights Accomodations
- Meals from Dinner Day 1 through Day 3
- Spotting Scope while Birding
- Water for Refreshment
- Birds—we’ll find some birds
- Some Owltastic Tour Swag
- Delightful Conversation about Birds
- A Thoroughly Enjoyable Time!
We also include SFW dad jokes, witty bird puns, and the occasional commentary on things non-bird related!
What's Not Included
- Alcoholic Drinks
- Binoculars
- Cameras and Lenses
- Personal Flashlights/Headlamps
- Bug Spray
- Jackets or Sweaters
- Shoes and Socks
- Flights or Transportation to Utah
We highly recommend all of the above ;)
Still have questions? Ready to book a tour? Either way tapping the buttons below will put you in touch with us!
Past Seasons Boreal Owling
October 10, 2024
Priavte Boreal Owling Tour
View Checklist
October 6-8, 2024
2024 Boreal Owling Adventure #2
View Trip Report
Sep 29 - Oct 1, 2024
2024 Boreal Owling Adventure #1
View Trip Report
October 16-18, 2023
2023 Boreal Owling Adventure
View Trip Report
94 Reviews
2020, '22, & '23 Trip Advisor Travelers' Choice Award Consistently earning great reviews from birders!
Top Rated Wildlife Tour
in Salt Lake City
Better Than Advertised - Flammy Yes! Let's make this easy...with Tim you get great communications, a great birder, great birding, a great visit, great company and absolute delivery on all accounts.
Blair B Flammulated Owling , 2019
Recent Photos from this Tour
Check out more photos from this tour on Flickr
Still have questions? Ready to book a tour? Either way tapping the buttons below will put you in touch with us!