Photo: Brendan Lally from Delta, Canada / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) — Owls of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 101 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Aegolius
- Species acadicus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 101 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Northern Saw-whet Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Northern Saw-whet Owl is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a species of bird in the Strigidae family, part of the order Strigiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA widespread, also n Mexico.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 101 g, with a wing length of about 13.5 cm and a tail of around 7.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Northern Saw-whet Owl?
The Northern Saw-whet Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 101 g.
Where does the Northern Saw-whet Owl live?
The Northern Saw-whet Owl is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA widespread, also n Mexico, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Northern Saw-whet Owl belong to?
The Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Northern Saw-whet Owl eat?
The Northern Saw-whet Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Northern Saw-whet Owl migrate?
The Northern Saw-whet Owl is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Northern Saw-whet Owl endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Northern Saw-whet Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Northern Saw-whet Owl — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Northern Saw-whet Owl's range?
The Northern Saw-whet Owl has a mapped global range of about 5.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Strigidae
A field guide to the Strigidae family — 236 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.