Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Northern saw-whet owlAegolius acadicus (ee-jole-ih-us [a kind of owl] ah-kade-ih-cus [of Acadia; first specimen was from Nova Scotia])TRACK30-35Ornithologist Arthur Cleveland Bent, writing in the 1930s, had this to say about theNorthern saw-whet owl: “I shall never forget the thrill I experienced when I first metthis lovely little owl. I had never seen so small an owl, or one so beautiful.”The smallest owl found in Ohio; a full grown Northern saw-whet owl is about thesize of an American robin. Because of their tiny size, strictly nocturnal habits, andpenchant for roosting in heavy cover, this is one of the toughest Ohio owls to locate.However, it is perhaps the most abundant species of owl in northern forests, andrecent banding studies have begun to shed light on population densities and seasonalmovements. Most Northern saw-whet owls seen in Ohio are migrants; overwinteringbirds are fairly rare, and there are only a handful of nesting records.C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 35D e s cripti o n s aw -w h e t o w lLength = 8 inchesWingspan = 17 inchesWeight = 3 ouncesA tiny owl; first-time observers are often incredulous at how little they are. Andtheir interesting appearance can be admired close up more often than not, as sawwhetstend to roost low to the ground and are exceedingly tame.They are easily identified; the only other owl that looks remotely similar is theaccidental boreal owl (one Ohio record), but the latter is larger, more spotted aboveand below, and has prominent black lines outlining the face. Adult Northern saw-whetowls are striped with thick brown streaks below, have light brown facial discs, and lackear tufts. Juveniles, which would be unlikely in Ohio, are even more distinctive, beingdark chocolate-brown above, with rufous-orange underparts and a white chevron onthe forehead.O h i o S tat u s s aw -w h e t o w lUntil recently, it was widely believed that saw-whets were relatively rare migrants andPhoto by: ©S. Lipschutz / VIREO