Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) perching in a wild rose bush in British Columbia
© Tim Fitzharris/Minden Picture
A true night owl
Hard to spot but easy to hear, the Northern Saw-whet Owl is among the most common owls within North America. About 20 centimetres in length and weighing under 150 grams, it is a relatively small bird. It can inhabit a range of habitats and can breed in deciduous as well as coniferous forests. Truly nocturnal, the Northern Saw-whet Owl gets active at dusk and almost entirely preys on small mammals. It gets its name for its distinct whistle which is reminiscent of the sound of sharpening a saw on a whetting stone.
Related Images
Grove of redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks, California, United States
Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario
Spire Cove in Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Alaska, United States
Joshua trees under the Milky Way, California, United States
Andean cocks-of-the-rock, Ecuador
Kachina Bridge, Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah, United States
Wat Tang Sai Temple in Ban Krut, Thailand
Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, British Columbia
Today on Bing
Common raven sitting on a branch
Oct 30, 2023
Polar bear at the edge of Hudson Bay, Manitoba
Oct 30, 2022
Charles Bridge over the Vltava River in Prague
Oct 30, 2019