MWC Eco-sweep: Northern Saw-whet Owl & Identifying Owl Roost Trees

MWC Eco-sweep: Northern Saw-whet Owl & Identifying Owl Roost Trees

The northern saw-whet owl is the Midwest's smallest owl species. It is a year round resident in the northern portions of the Midwest, but makes surprise visits further south during winter.
Northern Saw-whet Owl wide-eyed in an eastern red cedar tree at the Homer Lake Forest Preserve in Champaign County, Illinois.
Owls typically have a favorite roosting spot in certain trees. Knowing what to look for can help you find one of these trees. Look for a whitewash of owl droppings on tree trunk and limbs. Below where the owl likes to sit you can find owl pellets on the ground. Owls eat their prey whole, but can't digest fur, feathers, bone, etc. The owl regurgitates pellets of these materials, which can be used to determine what the owl ate. Check out all of the photos, then see if you spot an owl roost during the next outing.
A sleeping Northern Saw-whet Owl in an eastern red cedar tree at the Homer Lake Forest Preserve in Champaign County, Illinois.
A white-wash of owl droppings on the trunk and stems of an eastern red cedar tree. The owl roosting in this tree was a Northern Saw-whet Owl at the Homer Lake Forest Preserve in Champaign County, Illinois.
A white-wash of owl droppings on the trunk and stems of an eastern red cedar tree. The owl roosting in this tree was a Northern Saw-whet Owl at the Homer Lake Forest Preserve in Champaign County, Illinois.
Northern Saw-whet Owl reguritated pellets on the ground under a night roost tree.



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