Today we’ve added one of the cutest birds I’ve ever seen: the Northern Saw-whet Owl. At 7 to 8 inches (17.8 to 20.3 cm) this is the smallest owl of Eastern North America. This cute little fellow got its name by accident when a member of the National Audubon Society heard the call of a Barn Owl, which is said to resemble a saw being sharpened, and mistakenly attributed it to the smaller owl.
Since 1997, the Ned Smith Center in Pennsylvania has been leading research in the movements and ecology of the Saw-whet Owl. Each autumn, a team of trained researchers and volunteers harmlessly catch, band and release hundreds of these small birds at three banding stations in central Pennsylvania. Throughout the years they’ve banded more than 5,000 owls and helped map the movements of this secretive species. For more information about this great project check out the Saw-whet Owl Research Blog.
Photo by Steve Gilchrist (via Flickr)
Photo by zhakora (via Flickr)
For more Birdorable owls see Meet the Birds: Owls.
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| Birdorable Saw-whet Owl Ladies T-Shirt |
Birdorable Saw-whet Owl Girl’s Ringer T-Shirt |
at 08:40pm
Canaduck wrote:
I love Saw-whets! So excited you made a Birdorable!
at 08:53pm
Birdorable wrote:
I’m glad you like it Canaduck. I saw my first Saw-whet Owl at a raptor rehabilitation center this summer and I loved it so much … it was the cutest thing I’d ever seen. I’d love to see one of these in the wild once!
at 08:51am
Ashira wrote:
How ADORABLE. <3 So many owls! : D
at 08:49am
Cat wrote:
Thanks! They are so cute, and getting cuter!
at 03:34pm
NatureFootstep wrote:
this owl is very sweet.