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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
The Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a smallest owl.
Adults are 18cm long with a 43 cm wingspan. They have a large round light grey face with brown streaks, a dark bill and yellow eyes. The underparts are pale with dark streaks; the upper parts are brown with white spots.
Their breeding habitat is coniferous forests, sometimes mixed or deciduous woods, across North America. They nest in a tree cavity, usually one created by a woodpecker. They will sometimes use nesting boxes.
Some are permanent residents; 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.
This bird 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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