Northern Saw-whet Owl
The saw-whet owl is a small, nocturnal owl known for its distinctive call, which sounds like the whetting of a saw. It is one of the smallest owls in North America, and definitely my favourite one!
Finding one is a masterclass in patience. They are extremely hard to spot, roosting silently in dense conifers or thick tangles right through the daylight hours. I’ve only been lucky enough to cross paths with them a couple of times in my life. If you are searching for one, forget looking high in the canopy—scan low to the ground in dense evergreen bushes, or listen closely for the frantic mobbing calls of chickadees and nuthatches that often give away their daytime hiding spots.
