How saaweeeet the owl!

This little owl is a marvel of nature. It is a common native owl in Southeast Missouri, but it is rarely seen. It is a creature of the woods and a creature of the night. This is the northern saw-whet owl. It preys mostly upon animals such as deer mice, flying squirrels and small birds.

You can see here the beautiful coloration of this bird. An adult saw-whet owl will weigh about 3 ounces (approximately the weight of a baseball) and be about 7 inches long. It has an odd "bonk-bonk-bonk-bonk-bonk" call that to the novice might be thought to be some kind of a frog sound. You could easily hold this gentle little owl in the palm of your hand.

This owl was photographed by my son, Levi, who was recently invited on an official saw-whet owl capturing and banding expedition.