Northern Saw-whet Owl

Aegolius acadicus

Summary 7

The northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a small owl native to North America.

Aegolius acadicus 8

At just 8 inches in length, the Northern Saw-whet Owl is one of the smallest owl species in North America. Like most owls, this species possesses short legs, rounded wings, large yellow eyes, and a disk-shaped face. Apart from its small size, it may best be identified by its coloration, which is brown spotted with white above and white streaked with brown below and on the face. The Northern Saw-whet Owl breeds primarily in Southern Canada and the northern tier of the United States. Breeding populations also exist at higher elevations in the western U.S. and in the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains in the southeast. During winter, this species expands its range southward and into lower elevations, including the coastal southeast, the Great Plains, and the southwest. The Northern Saw-whet Owl inhabits forests across the northern part of the continent, and each geographic region in which this species may be found has forests with a different mix of trees. Regardless of the exact species present, this owl prefers forests that are composed either entirely of evergreen trees or of a mix of evergreen and deciduous tree species. In winter, individuals which move outside the species’ breeding range are less tied to a particular habitat type, relocating as new sources of prey become available. Like most owls, the Northern Saw-whet Owl hunts small mammals, including mice, shrews, and voles. This owl uses its excellent hearing to locate prey on the ground in order to fly down and capture it with its talons. Also, like most owls, this species hunts almost exclusively at night, making it difficult to observe. Northern Saw-whet Owls are most visible roosting high in trees during the day or while producing toot-like calls at dusk.

Threat Status: Least Concern

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Rick Leche, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/64649343@N00/3056509987
  2. (c) Rob Curtis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Rob Curtis
  3. (c) Brendan Lally from Delta, Canada, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Northern_Saw-whet_Owl%2C_Reifel_BC_1.jpg
  4. (c) Brendan Lally from Delta, Canada, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Northern_Saw-whet_Owl%2C_Reifel_BC_2.jpg
  5. (c) Brendan Lally from Delta, Canada, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Northern_Saw-whet_Owl%2C_Reifel_BC_3.jpg
  6. (c) Kathy & Sam from Beaverton OR, USA, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Aegolius_acadicus_-Fossil%2C_Oregon%2C_USA_-juvenile-8.jpg
  7. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aegolius_acadicus
  8. (c) Smithsonian Institution, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/33118687

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