Our Tiny Owl

 

Our Tiny Owl

Shared by Kathy Shaw

WPNC Bird Information, Research and Data (BIRD) Program & Master Bird Bander

Photos by Sandy Bivens and Kathy Shaw except where noted

As a federally licensed bird bander, I remind myself that science is serious business with no room for sentiment, but this notion flew out the window when our team recently caught a Northern Saw-whet Owl on a cold November night. I wanted to put this adorable fluffball in my pocket and make it my own. This “cuteness” factor may be why I have no problem finding BIRD team volunteers to forego sleep and work late on cold nights to try to net one. On a more serious, scientific note, much of what we understand about saw-whet migration is due to a network of dedicated banders throughout the U.S. and Canada.

 

Our saw-whet project began back in 2007. At the urging of experienced saw-whet banders and a grant from Tennessee Ornithological Society to buy equipment, we began our efforts. On our second attempt, we caught one! That was easy! Then we caught no more that year, or the next, or the next. We tried at Bells Bend in 2012 and caught nothing. The project was shelved until the bird chatter proclaimed that the 2020 fall migration would bring an “invasion” of these northern birds. We dusted off our equipment with high hopes.

In the East, saw-whets breed in coniferous/spruce-fir forests of southern Canada and the northern U.S. A number of birds migrate south each year, but every 3-5 years, they “invade” or “irrupt” in large numbers and can reach as far south as the gulf coast. This migration is timed after the tree seed/mast production cyclically drops throughout the breeding range, resulting in fewer mice and other small mammals, saw-whets’ favorite prey. When there are fewer mice, saw-whets head further south for the winter in greater numbers.

 

 

Breeding males “toot-toot-toot”, reportedly for hours while defending territory and attracting a mate. This call is compared to the sound of a saw being sharpened against a whetstone; thus, the owl received the name saw-whet. (I think it sounds more like the warning sound a big truck makes when backing up.) We use this mating call to our advantage when trying to catch a saw-whet. We place a wildlife caller next to the nets and project this call loudly to attract a bird that may be in the area.

 

Sandy Bivens setting up a net at dusk in hopes of capturing an owl.

 

Once an owl is captured, a federally issued band is placed above the foot.

An owl’s leg is covered with feathers.

The owl is weighed and measured to try to determine gender. Examining flight feathers can help determine age.

 

This photo was taken at Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary in Indiana. Newly molted feathers glow pink under U.V. light. This helps us recognize different generations of feathers.

 

Differences in feather color and wear also aid in ageing the bird.

 

I happily released the bird. It winged its way across the pond and into the night.

 

Northern Saw-whet Owls are hard to spot in Tennessee. They rarely vocalize, hunt at night, and stay hidden in trees and dense shrubs. When you’re the smallest owl in town, it is prudent to stay hidden from larger owls that may prey upon you.

 

Saw-whets measure 7-8” long with a wingspan of 16-19”.

During migration, saw-whets may pop up most anywhere. Everyone remembers “Rockefeller”, the adorable owl that hitched a ride to NYC in the Norway Spruce Christmas tree.

 “Rockefeller” from Ravensbeard Wildlife Center

 The many merchandise items that can be purchased are a testament to the love we humans have for this tiny owl.

 

Spotting a Northern Saw-whet Owl may be difficult, but I encourage all to enjoy the Warner Parks on a cold, winter evening, and, if you’re lucky, you may hear the calls of a hooting owl in the distance.