Northern Saw-Whet Owl Found at the Edge

Researchers are trying to determine the winter range of the northern saw-whet owl
© Copyright Kelly Sieg

It took more than patience and a good pair of binoculars to spot a new species recently at The Nature Conservancy’s Edge of Appalachia Preserve. When alarmed, the northern saw-whet owl is said to sound like a saw being whetted, or sharpened (hence its name) - yet because the bird vocalizes only during the breeding season months of March through May and is nocturnal, it can be difficult to detect.

Their small size and retiring habits can make these owls even harder to find. About the size of a robin, they could be prey to larger owls, like the great horned owl, so they tend to stick to cover. Despite these obstacles, researchers at the Edge were determined to document the presence of the species - which they had always suspected could be migrating or wintering in the area.

While their winter range is not well defined and probably varies from year to year, researchers do know that northern saw-whets tend to roost in dense conifers near the edge of extensive woodlands. “It certainly seemed possible that the mixture of dense cedars and old field and pocket prairies at the Edge would be a good wintering habitat,” said Bob Placier, ornithology instructor at Hocking College and apprentice bird bander.

To know for sure, researchers convened at the Edge with large mist nets and audio lures in hand. “We used 12 meter long mist nets, connected in a series of 4 to 5 with an audio lure, consisting of a male’s “toot” call, placed in the middle of each net series,” said Kelly Sieg, a licensed bander and volunteer at the Buzzard Roost County Preserve near Chillicothe who worked with Placier and others to track the bird at the Edge. Responding to the “toot” call were two female owls, both over the age of three.

“It wasn’t surprising to catch them when we did,” said Sieg. “The Edge seems like a great area for these little guys to over winter.”

Scientists at the Edge hope to confirm whether these birds are simply moving through the area or staying throughout the winter months by trapping again later in the season. Banding the birds will help to document their movement. “Banding is an important part of the process,” notes Pete Whan, the Conservancy’s Director of Community Based Programs, Appalachian Ohio Forest Conservation Area. “We will be able to determine whether or not we are catching the same bird or, if someone else catches it, where the bird has traveled to.” Information found on the northern saw-whets discovered at the Edge, such as weight, wing length, age, sex, and more, is sent to the U.S. Geological Survey to improve the overall knowledge of this species.

The northern saw-whet owl and other species need your help to ensure that adequate habitat is available for their survival. To find out what The Nature Conservancy is doing to protect this type of habitat in Ohio, visit our Edge of Appalachia page.

For more information on northern saw-whet owls, visit http://www.projectowlnet.org/.