So cute, so deadly: Northern Saw-whet Owl

02/03/25 • 22 min

1 Listener

By size, shape and style, you might mistake this owl for a cuddly toy, but it's actually a deadly predator. In today's episode we chat about the Northern Saw-whet Owl - their adaptations, how to identify them by sound, how banding operations are helping to track their populations, and how you could get involved!
Happy Superb Owl day! #superbowl
Protect habitat while sipping on a cup of bird-friendly coffee! Birds and Beans will even donate to this podcast when you use the code "warblers" at checkout.
Join the Nocturnal Owl Survey, or keep an eye out for owl banding at a banding station near you. Follow Long Point Bird Observatory on FB or IG @longpointbirds
Kyle Cameron got hooked on birds from a young age and turned it into a career! He currently works as the Ontario Projects Biologist for Birds Canada, where he provides contributions to numerous projects including education programming, the Motus wildlife tracking system, and the Long Point Bird Observatory.
Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.

Previous Episode

Did a chickadee steal my hotdog? Experts answer your questions

As a special treat we've rounded up some of your most curious bird related questions and answered them in this episode (or tried to!).
Why do some birds have red eyes? Can owls hybridize? Can birds smell? And of course, we'll try to solve the hotdog mystery.
Help us keep doing what we do best by donating today. Or another great way to help...
Order some bird-friendly coffee for your cozy holiday season, and when you use the code "warblers", Birds and Beans will donate to this podcast.
Check out Winter is better with Project FeederWatch for more information about bird feeding, or How do birds survive the extremes of winter?! for some mind blowing winter bird facts!
Some of you asked where to find ornithology jobs. We recommend checking the Birds Canada site if you'd like to work with us! Or check out Work Cabin for jobs in the larger conservation community.
Others asked for audio and birdsong resources for North America. Try:

Merlin Bird ID: field guide app with sounds
Sibley Birds: field guide app with sounds
Larkwire: quiz app to learn bird sounds
xeno-canto: online database of sounds

Lindsay Lalach is currently working towards her Masters of Science in Biology at Simon Fraser University, her research is focused on the winter movement and foraging ecology of Brandt's Cormorants in the Salish Sea.
David Toews is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Penn State University. He did his undergrad at Acadia University in NS, and MSc and PhD at UBC. He also serves as the “population genetics expert” for the Birds Specialist Subcommittee of COSEWIC. He has studied avian evolution since 2005, and has been focused on speciation and hybridization in warblers.

Doug Tozer is the Director of Waterbirds and Wetlands with Birds Canada. His academic and professional career has focused on developing workable conservation solutions for birds, and raising awareness of the importance of these animals; through programs such as the Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program, Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, and Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Program.

Jody Allair is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. He is the Director of Communications at Birds Canada and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram at @JodyAllair.
Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.

Next Episode

Point Counts and Missing Pots: The Adventures of Bird Atlassing

The Breeding Bird Atlas is the ultimate province-wide bird survey. In this episode, Atlas coordinators from Newfoundland, Ontario, and Saskatchewan share how and why Atlassing is a key part of bird conservation. We hear their biggest challenges, favourite stories from the field, and why you should be a part of it all. From boast worthy birds, to blackflies - the Breeding Bird Atlas is a project driven by a love for birds and for Canada's most far to reach places.

It's not too late to join an Atlas!

Newfoundland: nf.birdatlas.ca
Ontario: birdsontario.org

Pull out the camping pot, boil some water, and brew some bird-friendly coffee! Birds and Beans will donate to this podcast when you use the code "warblers" at checkout.

Catherine Dale had an early career job studying Tree Swallows which sparked her love for birds, animal behaviour, and spending time in the field. She began working with Birds Canada in 2019 as the Coordinator of the Newfoundland Breeding Bird Atlas, and has spent the past six years learning about the amazing province she now calls home. She also coordinates the NL Nocturnal Owl Survey and the newly launched Short-eared Owl Survey.

Kaelyn Bumelis spent her undergraduate summers studying aerial insectivores, which inspired her to pursue a Master of Science in Biology at Western University, where she focused on niche segregation among sympatric Barn, Cliff, and Tree swallows. Today, Kaelyn serves as the Project Manager for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, a role that allows her to blend her love of birding and conservation with her enthusiasm for connecting and exchanging knowledge with others.

LeeAnn Latremouille is originally from Montreal, but fell in love with the prairies and has called Saskatoon home for the last 10 years. In addition to coordinating the Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas, she also runs the Saskatchewan Nocturnal Owl Survey, delivers the MarshWatch educational program, and has recently taken on a role with our Grassland Bird Conservation Team as the coordinator for the Integrated Monitoring of Bird Conservation Regions effort in Prairie Canada.

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.