Piercing gaze of the Saw Whet Owl
The Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a miniature owl native to North America. Adults are 18 cm long with a 43 cm wingspan. They nest in a tree cavities, usually created by a woodpecker. They will sometimes use nesting boxes.
| Northern Saw Whet Owl Song |
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Some are permanent residents, while others may migrate south in winter or move down from higher elevations. These birds wait on a low perch at night and swoop down on prey. They mainly eat small rodents; on the Pacific coast they may also eat crustaceans and aquatic insects.
Like many owls, these birds have excellent hearing and exceptional vision in low light.
The Saw-Whet Owl was named when a member of the National Audubon Society heard the call of a barn owl, which is said to resemble a saw being sharpened with a whetstone, and mistakenly attributed it to this smaller species. It is fairly common, but not always easy to spot.
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