Northern Saw-Whet Owl - Sierra Club BC
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Northern Saw-Whet Owl

CAN BE FOUND IN:

Northern Saw-Whet Owl

Aegolius acadicus 

Appearance 

Northern saw-whet owls are one of the smallest species of owl in North America, growing just over 20 centimetres tall. They have a white and brown streaked belly and neck, a reddish-brown body and a grey face. Their eyes are yellow, and their feet and legs are covered in feathers. 

Range & Habitat 

These owls are found from Alaska to Mexico, throughout North America. They live in thick forests and are often found near streams or swamps. 

Reciprocal Relationships 

This owl is an important predator which is necessary in forest ecosystems to eat insects, small mammals, amphibians and songbirds. They are completely nocturnal, and most of their foods are animals that are active at night. They are silent fliers and can sneak up on their prey without being noticed. If scared, they can puff up and stay still to look like a branch or bump. 

Northern saw-whet owls have been recorded living for over 17 years. Mammals and larger birds, including other owl species and hawks, will eat saw-whet owls. As they nest in forested areas, they are threatened by logging and development. In addition, the ranges of these owls have become limited by global climate change. Much stewardship has been done to protect the threatened brooski subspecies of this owl, which can only be found on Haida Gwaii. 

Status 

COSEWIC: Not Reported 
CDC: Yellow 

More Information 

If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca

Photo credit

Canva

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