Stanley Park Ecology Society - Programs- Urban Wildlife

Close-up Map of Stanley Park (with driving directions to SPES)

Species

I'll stay still as a statue and they'll think I'm tame

Saw-whet owls prey mainly on mice and adult mice are devoured in parts (make up two meals)
Once a saw-whet owl died trying to swallow an adult mice whole
The female owl keeps the nest clean while brooding her young; however, after 18 days, she leaves and the nest fills up with feces, pellets, and rotting prey parts
The female is actually the larger owl
If seen, the saw-whet owl’s defense involves standing completely still and not fly away so that they appear "tame"
The saw-whet owl was named after its call which sounds like a saw being sharpened with a whetstone

Saw-whet owls are characterized by the absence of ear tufts, their white faces outlined in brown and white, their white under-parts streaked with brown, their yellow eyes, and their black beaks
Typical adult saw-whet owls measure 18-21 cm and have a wingspan of 42-48 cm
Saw-whet owls are very small with very large heads

I'll stay for the winter!

Saw-whet owls generally live in wooded swamps or bogs but have a very large range
This type of owl can migrate but is well adapted to varying climates and temperatures
Their breeding habitat is typically found in coniferous forests across North America

The saw-whet owl's diet consists mainly of small rodents, but can include crustaceans and aquatic insects along the coast
They have amazing vision in low light and exceptional hearing
These owls hunting technique includes perching on a low branch at night and swooping down on their prey

Sometimes these owls are found roosting in parks and gardens, although they are very discrete