Northern Saw-whet Owl Call Download 2021
Dawn Summerville
Named for what, to some, sounds like a saw being sharpened on a stone, Northern Saw-whet Owls are common in forests across southern Canada and the northern U.S. At this time of year, many move southward, making a large concentration especially in the region of the Great Lakes.
Similar species: comparable to the boreal owl although saw-whets are smaller and have less spots. Eastern screech owls have ear tufts and are more noticeably streaked than saw-whets.
Saw-whet owls reside in a variety of habitats. Although they prefer conifers, throughout their range they associate with a multitude of tree species including, from north to south; several spruces, aspen, tamarack, northern white cedar, Douglas fir, eastern hemlock, ponderosa pine and eastern white pine. Once leaves drop in autumn, saw-whets roost in conifers and evergreen shrubs or vines. There is evidence that breeding saw-whets in Pennsylvania are found in proximity to riparian areas.
Saw-whets are rodent specialists, feeding primarily on white footed-mice, deer mice, and voles. The genus of mice Peromyscus is strongly represented in saw-whet owl pellets. Small birds (especially Northern cardinals) and insects make up a small portion of their diet as well. Saw-whets will sometimes cache extra prey in cavities or on branches.
On average, egg laying falls between late February and April depending on geographical location. Clutch size ranges from 4 to 9 eggs, depending on the abundance of small mammals; an increase in prey availability means potential for a larger clutch. Incubation lasts 27-30 days. Females incubate and brood the young solo while the male does the hunting. In years of ample resources, female saw-whets have been known to leave their first clutch to the first male and start a new nest with a new male. In typical fashion of an irruptive species, saw-whets specialize on highly fluctuating prey and breeding become opportunistic as a result. Adults have no guarantee that every year will yield enough prey for successful breeding, so they take advantage of the good years to produce as many offspring as possible. The cyclical nature of rodent populations may also cause saw-whet owls to engage in breeding dispersal, shifting territories from year to year in pursuit of stable food resources. More research is needed to confirm this behavior, but we know saw-whet owls do not typically return to the same nesting site in consecutive years, most likely due to the inconsistency of prey abundance.
Prior to the 1900s, saw-whet owls were thought to be a rare, non-migratory species. Now, with banding data and a several groundbreaking observations, we have learned that they are not that rare. Just like boreal owls, female saw-whets seem more inclined to migrate than males, which tend to stay on or near the breeding grounds. Like other migrating raptors that we count here at Hawk Mountain, saw-whets follow leading lines such as ridges, bodies of water, and other topographical features throughout the landscape that act as funneling structures. As nocturnal migrants, they utilize favorable winds and clear skies. Across their range, migratory saw-whets seem to time their departures with leaf drop of deciduous trees. Therefore, depending on location, autumn migration begins between September and early October and concludes by early December.
Saw whet owls travel relatively slowly compared to other raptor migrants, averaging 10.5 kilometers each night (6.5 miles), and engage in stopovers for 7 to 10 days along their journey. The number of saw-whet owls that choose to migrate each year seems correlated with the abundance of their primary prey during the breeding season, the red-backed vole, meaning large migratory flights are observed roughly every 3-5 years.
Excessive logging, climate change, and associated loss of forest health could pose a threat to saw-whet owl populations, given their dependency on high elevation spruce and fir forests. Additionally, forests are home to a variety of rodent populations to which this owl species is tightly linked.
Here at the mountain we participate in a local saw-whet owl banding station by assisting with the banding process, as well as by involving our international trainees. Many of these conservationists-in-training have never seen a North American Owl, let alone one as cute as a saw-whet, and understandably their appreciation for owls is greatly enhanced after seeing one up close.
You can also spread the word that saw-whet owls, like other mammal-eating raptors, assist in rodent control. Rodenticides are extremely harmful to all raptors, and encouraging alternatives helps owls immensely.
Description: The Northern Saw-whet Owl is a small short-bodied owl with a short tail. The large rounded head has no ear tufts. The face is light brown, outlined in dark brown and white streaks. They have brown-and-white striped chests and bellies. Their large eyes are yellow. The white eyebrows connect in a 'Y' over their beaks.Like other raptors they have strong grasping talons for killing prey, and a hooked upper beak for tearing meat. The Saw-whet Owl's name comes from the "skiew" call that is made when alarmed. This sound has a resemblance to the whetting of a saw.
Range / Habitat: This owl breeds from southern Alaska eastward to Nova Scotia, southward to northern United States, and further southward in mountains. They winter throughout the breeding range, and southward across the United States.
Nesting: Northern Saw-whet Owl males choose and defend territories and call to attract females. The females choose the nest cavity, often an old nest hole made by a Northern Flicker or Pileated Woodpecker. The female Northern Saw-whet Owl does the incubation and brooding. The male brings all the food needed while the female is incubating the eggs. She leaves the eggs for only one or two short trips each night, to defecate and cough up a pellet. (BirdWeb)
Named for the resemblance of one of their calls to the sound of saw teeth being sharpened, Northern Saw-whet Owls are small, chestnut-brown owls with prominent white markings on the folded wings and brown-and-white striped chests and bellies. They have no ear-tufts. Their eyes are yellow, and their white eyebrows connect in a 'Y' over their beaks. Throats are white. Fledglings are solid brown above with light buffy bellies and a well-defined white triangle on their foreheads.
Generally monogamous, Northern Saw-whet Owls can be polygamous when prey is abundant. Males choose and defend territories to which they attract females by calling. Females choose the nest cavity, often an old Northern Flicker or Pileated Woodpecker nest hole, usually selecting a different site each year. Northern Saw-whet Owls also use artificial nest boxes. The female incubates 5 to 6 eggs. The male brings her food while she is on the nest and continues to bring food after the young hatch. The female broods for about 18 days. Once brooding is finished, she may help the male provide the young with food or she may depart, sometimes finding a new mate and raising a second brood. The young leave the nest at 4 to 5 weeks, and are fed for another 6 to 8 weeks. Northern Saw-whet Owls are unusual among North American owls in that the young can fly reasonably well as soon as they leave the nest.
Haley Shaw, known as @SoWylie on Tiktok, is a music producer and sound designer. She was inspired by my personal favorite owl, the northern saw-whet owl, and how delicate their calls sound. She decided to combine her talent for music with the naturally occurring saw-whet call to create an amazing beat. Check out the video below!
Saw-whet owls inhabit southern Canada and most of the United States but they prefer to nest in northern regions with cooler temperatures and dense forests. They migrate south from Canada and the northern United States each winter in October and November. During winter, migrating saw-whet owls can be found in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions.
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As alluded to in that first encounter three decades ago, the call notes were persistent and memorable. So, too, was observing the bird, for in that case, I took it upon myself to follow its call in the darkness with a flashlight in hand.
Northern saw-whet owls can easily go unnoticed by even the savviest birder, save for that incessant song of theirs. And because they are cavity nesters and would probably prefer to nest in natural cavities and woodpecker holes, finding a saw-whet can prove to be a difficult task.
Its preferred habitat is mixed coniferous and deciduous woodlands, particularly second-growth forests. Saw-whets breed throughout southeastern Alaska, southern Canada and across most of the northern tier lower 48 states, including California, Arizona and the Appalachians.
If you've heard owl sounds at night around your neighborhood and are wondering about the caller's identity, you're in the right place. We've assembled a collection of different owl sounds below to help you better know these fascinating predators of the night.
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