Northern Saw-whet Owl

1/160s at f7.1. ISO:800, Canon Mark IV 1D w/400mm


The habitat of the Northern Saw Whet Owl is coniferous forests, sometimes mixed or deciduous woods, across North America. They live in tree cavities and old nests made by other small raptors. Northern Saw-Whet Owls lay about 5-6 white colored eggs. The father does the hunting while the mother watches and sits on her eggs. Females can have more than one clutch of eggs each breeding season with different males. Once the offspring in the first nest have developed their feathers the mother will leave the father to care for them and go find another male to reproduce with. Saw-whet Owls of all ages may be predated by any larger species of owl as well as well as Accipiter hawks, which can overlap in habitat preferences with the Saw-whet owl. These birds wait on a high perch at night and swoop down on prey. They mainly eat small organisms with a focus on small mammals in their diet.
Calgary, Canada
 
01/29/2012