Back to Birdhouse Guide
Cavity Nester ⌀ 2.5" Medium

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Aegolius acadicus

Floor
6" × 6"
Interior height
12"
Entrance hole
⌀ 2.5"
Mount height
12–20 ft
Breeds
Mar–Jun
Broods / yr
1
Cool Facts

Things you didn't know about the Northern Saw-whet Owl

01

Saw-whet Owls are tiny — about the size of a robin and weighing only 3 ounces.

02

They migrate at night, often passing through eastern cities completely undetected.

03

Their 'too-too-too' call sounds like a saw being whetted (sharpened), giving them their name.

Attract Them

How to bring the Northern Saw-whet Owl to your yard

Saw-whets use 1¼" entrance boxes in conifer forest. They're cryptic and rarely seen even when present.

Box placement

Mount the box 10–20 ft up on a conifer trunk in dense forest. Add wood chips inside.

Food

Small rodents — they hunt their own. No feeders.

Cover & landscaping

Dense conifer canopy with standing dead wood nearby.

Competitors

Squirrels can usurp Saw-whet boxes; metal predator guards and proper entrance sizing help.

Avoid

Don't site in open habitats; they need dense conifer cover.

Range & Habitat

Where you'll find them

A small migratory owl of northern and montane forests across North America.

By region
  • Northern US & Canada (breeding)

    Common breeder in boreal and mixed forest from Alaska to Newfoundland and south through northern New England.

  • Mountain West (breeding)

    Year-round in higher elevations of the Rockies, Cascades, and Sierra Nevada.

  • Eastern US (winter)

    Migrants and winter residents throughout the eastern US south to the Carolinas.

Habitat preferences

Coniferous and mixed forest, especially with dense understory and standing dead trees for cavities.

coniferous forests mixed forests boreal zones
Approximate range centroids — see the regional breakdown above for the specifics
Fledge Kit

The right house for the Northern Saw-whet Owl

Cavity Series

Large body + 2½" panel

Body sized to 6"×6" floor. The 2½" panel locks out larger nest competitors while letting the Northern Saw-whet Owl pass cleanly.

See the full lineup
Seasonal Care

When to install. When to clean.

Install by
By February
Cleaning
Late autumn — wear gloves, owl pellets and prey remains accumulate
Winter use
Yes — overnight roosts
Boreal Canada
Year-round resident; box doubles as winter day-roost.

Mount boxes 12–20 ft up in dense conifer cover; nocturnal — you'll rarely see them.