Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
•Smallest eastern owl : 18-21 cm (7-8 in)
•Wingspan: 42-48 cm (17-19 in)
•Weight: 65-151 g (2.29-5.33 ounces)
•No ear tufts.
•Face white, outlined in brown and white.
•Underparts white streaked with red-brown.
•Eyes yellow.
•Bill black.
•Back, wings, and tail brown spotted with white.
•White streaks on brown forehead.
•Y-shaped white marking between and above eyes.
•Habitat: dense coniferous or mixed forests, wooded swamps, tamarack bogs. In PA: (rarely) nest in deciduous forest, during migration roost in hardwood trees until leaf-fall, then evergreen cover (conifers, laurel, rhodo, greenbrier, old blowdowns, etc.)
•Diet: mainly rodents and insects, some small birds
•Nocturnal hunter
•Oldest known: 7 years 11 months.
Photo: Greg Juris