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Flammulated Owl Tours
2026 Flammy Count
111
2027 Flammy Season Starts in
After many attempts to actually see a Flammulated Owl (in multiple states) Tim was able to get us excellent views of a very cooperative bird.
Liz S. Flammulated Owling, 2019
Tour Details
Flammulated Owling 100% success rate in locating calling Flammy’s
Tucked away in the pine, oak, and aspen forests of the Mountain West lives one of North America’s smallest owls—about the size of a smartphone. The Flammulated Owl has soft gray and rusty-red tones, and during summer nights it spends its time hunting moths and other insects. Despite being fairly common, these owls are notoriously hard to see thanks to their tiny size and excellent camouflage. Most birders find them first by sound, listening for their steady, low hoots echoing through the trees.
For anyone hoping to see a Flammulated Owl, the mountains around Salt Lake City, Utah are one of the best places in the world to try. The area offers some of the most accessible and reliable nesting habitat anywhere, making Utah a top destination for tracking down this elusive species. For many ABA birders, it’s a lifer—and one well worth the effort.
2026 Flammulated Owl Tour Dates
If you would like to book a private tour date, please don't hesitate to contact us to convert a public date to private, or find other dates that work.
May
6 Flammy's 4 COPO, 1 WSOW
Mon, May 11 (Highlights Owling)
3 Flammy's 2 NOPO,
Wed, May 13 (Marathon Scouting)
12 Flammy's 2 ABOW, 11 BUOW, 1 NSWO
Thu, May 14 (Mountain West Owling)
2 Flammy's 1 DUGR
Fri, May 15 (Private Owling)
5 Flammy's 2 NSWO, 6 COPO, 1 CONI
Tue, May 26 (Basic)
3 Flammy's 1 NSWO, 2 COPO
Fri, May 29 (Private Owling)
5 Flammy's 2 NSWO, 8 COPO, 1 CONI
Sat, May 30 (Private Owling)
11 Flammy's 1 NSWO, 2 WSOW, 2 COPO, 2 CONI
Sun, May 31 (Private Owling)
June
4 Flammy's 2 NSWO, 6 COPO
Tue, June 2 (Owling +)
4 Flammy's 3 COPO
Thu, June 4 (Owling +)
4 Flammy's 1 GHOW, 3 COPO
Fri, Jun 5 (Private Owling)
4 Flammy's 6 COPO
Sat, Jun 6 (Private Owling)
2 Flammy's 3 COPO
Sun, Jun 7 (Private Owling)
4 Flammy's 3 COPO
Mon, Jun 8 (Private Owling)
2 Flammy's 2 COPO
Wed, June 10 (Owling +)
3 Flammy's 2 COPO
Tue, June 16 (Owling +)
4 Flammy's 1 COPO, 1 RUGR
Thu, June 18 (Basic)
2 Flammy's 1 COPO
Wed, June 24 (Owling +)
15 Flammy's 6 COPO
Sun, Jun 28 (Private Owling)
July
2 Flammy's 3 COPO
Mon, July 6 (Private Owling)
5 Flammy's 1 COPO
Wed, July 22 (Private Owling)
2 Flammy's 1 NPOW, 1 NSWO
Thu, July 23 (Private Owling)
3 Flammy's 1 COPO
Fri, July 24 (Private Owling)
2 Flammy's 1 COPO
Sun, July 26 (Most Wanted Owling)
2 Flammy's —
Wed, July 29 (Owling +)
August
August 1-15 No Public Tours
We no longer offer public tours in August. We can be booked for private outings.
Thu, Aug 20 Private Owling
Unavailable
2026 Pricing
What's Included & What to Expect
What to Expect on Your Tour
We'll arrange a pickup for you in our spacious Transit Van, which can accommodate up to 12 people. Our van, affectionately named Otus, will collect you from one of several meeting locations based on our destination for the night. If you're staying at select hotels, we can also arrange to pick you up from there (please inquire for more information). The duration of our journey will vary between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the specific location.
For our standard tours, we'll head straight to one of our field sites to begin our owling activities. If you opt for our Owling + Tours package, we'll design an exciting birding experience for a couple of hours before sunset, en route to our owling sites. If you have specific target birds in mind, please let us know during the booking process, and we'll do our best to accommodate your preferences.
Once darkness falls (typically 30 minutes after sunset), we will utilize our proven techniques to elicit a response from owls. Once we locate a responsive individual, we'll work on tracking down the bird. Briefly, we'll shine our low-temperature LED spotlight near the owl and provide directions using a laser pointer, enabling you to spot the tiny creature.
We aim to keep our owl viewing moments under 30 seconds, with the utmost consideration for the well-being of the owls. However, there are occasions when we are fortunate enough to enjoy extended views of cooperative owls, utilizing bounce light from the nearest branch.
After a successful encounter, we'll return to Otus and make our way back to SLC. We'll celebrate with a few high-fives and ensure you safely continue your birding adventure.
What's Included
- Professional Guide Service
- Transportation from SLC
- Spotlight and Playback Equipment
- Water for Refreshment
- Birds—we’ll find some birds
- Some Flammtastic 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
- 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 Flammulated Owling
2026 Flammy Count
111
2025 Flammy Count
207
2024 Flammy Count
145
2023 Flammy Count
133
2022 Flammy Count
157
2021 Flammy Count
192
2020 Flammy Count
130
Read Recap
2019 Flammy Count
183
2018 Flammy Count
173
2017 Flammy Count
228
2016 Flammy Count
179
2015 Flammy Count
180
2014 Flammy Count
77
100+ 5-Star 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!