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Aves (Birds) » Strigiformes (Owls) » Strigidae (Typical Owls) » Aegolius » Aegolius acadicus (Northern Saw-whet Owls)
Small owl
Location: Earth » North America » United States » West Virginia » Barbour County
Date: March 15, 2008
Some bird poop on leaves on the trail led me to look up, and there was this little guy. He/she was about 8 inches tall, I think that is a reasonable estimate.
The owl was in Audra State Park, along the Middle Fork River, in north-central West Virginia. The owl checked my wife and I out while we checked it out. I did pretty well photographically, considering I had to use ISO 800 and had a 40mm wide-angle lens on the camera. We were close!
Given the size, I was thinking Screech Owl or Northern Saw-Whet, but the Saw-Whet doesn't seem to be on the West Virginia bird list (Sibley shows isolated W.V. records).
ID help appreciated!
Posted by Stephen Cresswell on March 16, 2008 15:12. Last updated: March 20, 2008 19:38.
Comments
I agree...
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Thanks!
Gentlemen, thanks for your help! Sibley only has a few green dots for West Virginia, indicating isolated records, while my Cornell / Thayer Birding Software for West Virginia does not include Northern Saw Whet as a West Virginia species. On the other hand, the enature.com site that you (Ted that is) sent me too does show West Virginia on the range map.
Thanks again for the ID!
Disclaimer
I use eNature to compare images but range information is somewhat misleading. That is, one of eNature's search criteria includes region and in this case it is Mid-Atlantic which includes West Virginia. In other words, this owl flies in the Mid-Atlantic region and West Virginia is in the Mid-Atlantic region but to say that this owl flies in West Virginia based on the preceding facts is a stretch. If you require proof positive that this owl flies in that exact location then I am afraid that I did not provide that proof. Nevertheless, I believe that image comparison is very good and I do believe that your image is a Northern Saw-whet Owl.
Range
Here are a couple other sites with range maps:
Owl Pages (scroll down)...shows WV in winter range
All About Birds...shows WV in winter range
Patuxent Wildlife (click the CBC link...it is very spotty)
Great Backyard Bird Count...this animation shows a WV hit in 2003 and one on the Ohio River in 2004, though I don't know if they confirmed the sighting.
It seems reasonable that Stephen could have one. A neat find!
More search options
Go to eNature. In the ZipGuides section enter the zip code where the image was taken and click Go button. A rather large list will return with an option to Filter that is set to All families. Use that drop-down bar and select Owls. Hopefully this owl will be in the result set but keep in mind that if its not there it simply means that they do not have it among their records.
Changed Taxon
Media was moved from ID Request.
Range Maps
Range maps are never absolute, anyway...especially with organisms as mobile as birds. But the small size, lack of ear tufts, and streaks on the forehead are fairly good, visible field marks.
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Northern Saw-whet Owl?
Size 7-8" fits a Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus).
Check eNature.com.