Northern Saw-whet Owl Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesNorthern Saw-whet Owl
Adult (acadicus)
Small, round-headed owl without ear tuffs. Mottled brown and white with fine white streaks on the head and a white "V" between the eyes.
© Ana Paula Oxom / Macaulay LibraryOaxaca, March 03, 2020Juvenile (acadicus)
Juveniles have a cinnamon belly, an unspotted brown back, and a white "V" between the eyes.
© Ray Wershler / Macaulay LibraryAlberta, August 01, 2016Adult
During the day Northern Saw-whet Owls roost in dense vegetation, typically just above eye level and near the trunk in evergreen trees.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryJanuary 28, 1998Not all videos have sound
Adult (Haida Gwaii)
Adult on Haida Gwaii (formerly Queen Charlotte Islands) is darker than widespread acadicus group, with light cinnamon underparts and face.
© James Bradley / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, October 04, 2014Adult (acadicus)
Small owl with a larger round head. Note yellow eyes and pale facial disc. Active only at night.
© Gates Dupont / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, January 22, 2016Adult
A nocturnal owl that can be difficult to see during daylight hours. Its whitish facial disk and eyebrows are distinctive.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryJanuary 28, 1998Not all videos have sound
Adult (acadicus)
Roosts in dense vegetation during the day. Found in a variety of forested areas.
© Kenny Miller / Macaulay LibrarySouth Dakota, January 30, 2020Adult (acadicus)
Nests in holes in trees or nest boxes in evergreen and deciduous forests.
© David De Rivera Tønnessen / Macaulay LibraryColorado, March 27, 2017Juvenile
Juveniles have a cinnamon belly and though they have the white eyebrows of adults they don't have streaking on the head or spotting on the back.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryMontana, July 01, 2000Not all videos have sound
Similar SpeciesBoreal Owl
Adult
Boreal Owls are slightly larger than Northern Saw-whet Owls, with a crisp dark border going most of the way around the face. Boreal's facial disk is clean white, whereas Saw-whet's is tinged with buff.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryBayern, May 08, 2010Similar SpeciesEastern Screech-Owl
Adult gray morph (Northern)
Eastern Screech-Owls have small ear tufts while Northern Saw-whet Owls have round heads without ear tufts. Screech-owls also have more finely marked underparts.
© David Wade / Macaulay LibraryColorado, May 08, 2017Similar SpeciesWestern Screech-Owl
Adult
Western Screech-Owls have small ear tufts while Northern Saw-whet Owls have round heads without ear tufts. Screech-owls also have more finely marked underparts.
© Noel Zaugg / Macaulay LibraryUtah, May 07, 2017Similar SpeciesBarred Owl
Adult (Northern)
Barred Owls are much larger than Northern Saw-whet Owls (nearly three times their size), and they have brown (not yellow) eyes and darker faces.
© Sean Fitzgerald / Macaulay LibraryMinnesota, January 30, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Owls(Order: Strigiformes, Family: Strigidae)
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