Northern Saw-whet Owl

Aegolius acadicus

no photo — written note
photo: Wikimedia Commons
BirdsSensitive species

A tiny owl that winters in dense thickets and is usually found only through banding work.

Field facts
HabitatDense conifers, tangled shrub cover
RangeStatewide in winter; very local
When to lookNovember to March
StatusLeast Concern; rarely detected (Indiana DNR / IUCN Red List)
Look-alikesScreech-owl — larger with ear tufts

Field note: Its whistled toot repeats for minutes at a time, like a truck backing up.

Lesson
Watching responsibly

If you find one roosting, keep the location quiet and move on quickly.

This species is treated as sensitive: locations are generalised to county level and never routed to directly.

Your records

No sightings yet. Log one from the Observe tab to earn this stamp.

Log a sighting