Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)

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Photo by KathleenMcEachern

Published on Project Noah

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49.0833, -123.083

Field Notes

Description:

8 inch (20cm) tall native owl with dark yellow eyes, white V between the eyes, dark beak, barring on the breast. Reddish tawny plumage.

Habitat:

Coniferous, mixed forest throughout central and southern BC and along the coast to Alaska. This beautiful little one was found at its day roost at Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Ladner, BC. hiding out on the far side of a holly tree with plenty of dense foliage above it. Good day roost!! It will stay hidden from large predators until nightfall and then fly out to feed.

Reference Links:

Northern Saw-whet Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Life History, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornitholo…

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (8)

KathleenMcEachern

Thanks, Christy! Have done that now. They are so small that I don't think of them as raptors:):) but their prey would know they are!

ChristyHolland

What a beautiful Saw-Whet! They're one of my favorite owls! I'd love this in the Raptor mission!

KathleenMcEachern

Thanks for all the likes and nice comments! This is one of my favourite spottings - both the moments of actually spotting it, and the photograph that resulted. I have since learned that the preferred item on their diet is mice, mainly deer mice and have added an excellent reference with lots of cool info from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Wow so nice birdy

Nice spot!

too cute!!

Great shot!

Cute owl..