Factors most closely explaining activity patterns and behavior of northern saw-whet owls in migratory stopover habitat
Northern saw-whet owls (Aegolius acadicus)—hereafter NSWO—are small migratory owls whose nonbreeding ecology is poorly understood. I captured and tagged 43 NSWOs from 2022-2023 at Kennekuk County Park, a site utilized by NSWOs during the non-breeding season. I investigated how activity patterns (i.e., movements) in the dusk, day, dawn, and night varied with environmental covariates. Owls were most active at dusk and dawn and on warmer, darker nights with light winds and no precipitation. I used automated radio telemetry and acoustic playbacks to determine if NSWO moved towards or away from conspecific vocalizations and recorded any vocal response from the owls. NSWO did not often vocally respond to playbacks, although birds often approached the source of the call. Activity patterns of NSWO appear to parallel their rodent prey, and while NSWO are not vocal on the nonbreeding grounds they do appear to respond to conspecific playback by approaching.