Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is in the Typical Owls family (Strigidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 3,640 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in October.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: winter visitor. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Northern Saw-whet Owl: observations by month (U.S.)
About Northern Saw-whet Owl
The northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a small owl native to North America.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Northern Saw-whet Owl by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 384 | November | Oct–Aug |
| New York | 264 | December | Oct–Mar |
| Washington | 260 | December | Aug–Mar |
| Ohio | 225 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Minnesota | 218 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Oregon | 204 | March | Oct–Jun |
| Arizona | 167 | December | Dec–Jan |
| South Dakota | 150 | October | Oct–Nov |
| Pennsylvania | 146 | November | Oct–Nov |
| Maryland | 133 | November | Oct–Nov |
| Vermont | 133 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 132 | November | Oct–Dec |
| Colorado | 128 | March | Feb–Jan |
| Illinois | 127 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Idaho | 116 | January | Jan–Mar |
| Michigan | 95 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Montana | 93 | February | Jan–Mar |
| Wisconsin | 75 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Maine | 57 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Alaska | 46 | February | Jan–Jun |
| New Mexico | 44 | June | May–Jun |
| Utah | 44 | March | Jan–Mar |
| Connecticut | 43 | February | Oct–Mar |
| Indiana | 36 | November | Oct–Nov |
| New Jersey | 35 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Iowa | 34 | January | Dec–Mar |
| Nevada | 28 | October | Oct–Nov |
| North Dakota | 24 | November | Oct–Nov |
| New Hampshire | 23 | November | Oct–Nov |
| Nebraska | 20 | June | May–Jun |
| North Carolina | 20 | April | Feb–Apr |
| Rhode Island | 19 | February | Feb–Feb |
| Virginia | 18 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Tennessee | 16 | September | Sep–Sep |
| West Virginia | 16 | October | Oct–Nov |
| Wyoming | 15 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Texas | 14 | June | May–Jun |
| Kentucky | 11 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Missouri | 8 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Arkansas | 7 | October | Oct–Nov |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Typical Owls)
Great Horned Owl
Barred Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl
Burrowing Owl
Western Screech-Owl
Short-eared Owl
Snowy Owl
Long-eared Owl
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Northern Saw-whet Owl?
Nationally, October has the most observations, with the main season from October to March.
Where is Northern Saw-whet Owl most often seen?
The most observations come from California, New York, Washington.