07/21/2026
This is an animal you don’t see every day! The Northern Saw-whet Owl is Virginia’s smallest owl, standing about 7–8 inches tall. They are secretive, strictly nocturnal, and heavily camouflaged. They are about the size of an American Robin (banana photo for scale), and they weigh just 70-100 grams. Despite their cute, oversized heads and bright yellow eyes, they are fierce predators that primarily hunt mice, voles, and small songbirds.
Here are some fascinating facts about them:
Name Origin: They get their name from their primary territorial call, which sounds exactly like a metal saw being sharpened on a whetstone.
Glowing Feathers: Under ultraviolet (UV) light, their flight feathers glow neon pink due to the presence of a pigment called porphyrin. Wildlife biologists use this trick to figure out how old an owl is.
Superhero Mask: They have a distinctive white V-shaped pattern between their eyes that makes it look like they are wearing a superhero mask.
Big Appetites: Because they have to survive freezing winters, especially at higher elevations in the Appalachians and Rocky Mountains, these little birds are voracious hunters. If they catch a meal that is too big to finish, they will stash the leftovers for later.
Trusting Demeanor: If you manage to spot one roosting in dense evergreen trees, they are known to be surprisingly calm and will often allow humans to approach them closely.
