SAW-WHET OWL 235 



been caught in the hand, or under a hat, when carefully approached. 

 Sometimes it shows marked curiosity, or sociability. Taylor and 

 Shaw (1927), writing of their experience with it in Mount Rainier 

 National Park, say: 



This, perhaps the most interesting owl in the park, is one with which the 

 camper is most likely to become acquainted, for the saw-whet seems to be a victim 

 of uncontrollable curiosity. One evening, just at dusk, as several members of 

 the party were seated about the camp fire at Owyhigh Lakes, one of these little 

 owls flew into camp and perched, quite unconcerned, on a tree near the fire, as if 

 wishing to join the circle. 



Another owl did the same thing at Sunset Park; and at St. Andrews the even- 

 ing twilight was made particularly interesting by the movements and curious 

 call notes of saw-whet owls. Their interest in our camp was very obvious. 

 * * * On more than one occasion their curiosity, or stupidity, maybe, drove 

 them into our tent. A peculiar sensation it was, to waken suddenly and hear the 

 call of an owl sounding within 6 feet of one's ear, followed soon by the soft flutter 

 of wings as the bird left the tent. 



They appeared to be most active at dusk and again an hour or so before day- 

 break. 



Cantwell describes their flight as quite unlike that of other owls, partaking 

 more of the nature of the labored undulating flight of the small woodpeckers. 

 Shaw says their flight is rapid for an owl, giving the bird a sprightly appearance 

 not observed in others. This peculiar flight helps identify individuals encountered 

 in the daytime. 



My own impressions of its flight agree with those of Dr. Fisher, who 

 says (1893b): "The flight resembles that of the woodcock very closely, 

 so much so in fact, that the writer once killed a specimen as it was fly- 

 ing over the alders, and not until the dog pointed the dead bird was 

 he aware of his mistake." 



The saw-whet owl is essentially a woodland bird, oftener found in 

 the dark recesses of coniferous woods than in the more open growth 

 of the deciduous forest, with perhaps a preference for swampy wood- 

 lands rather than the well-drained uplands. It is seldom seen in the 

 high treetops but prefers to hunt, or to doze during the day, at the 

 lower levels, often within a few feet of the ground. On May 28, 1925, 

 while looking for sharp-shinned hawk nests, in a large, dense grove 

 of white pines in Lakeville, Mass., I noticed the broken-off top of a 

 small pine that had lodged, about 10 feet from the ground, against 

 another pine; an accumulation of sticks and rubbish, suggesting a 

 crude nest, had lodged in the top, which tempted me to give the tree 

 a kick ; much to my surprise a saw-whet owl flew out and alighted on 

 a low branch of a pine within a few feet, where it sat and stared at me. 

 I examined the fallen top carefully but could find nothing of interest; 

 but I judged from the number of white droppings and pellets, on the 

 ground below it, that this was the day roost of the male owl. There 

 was probably a nest somewhere in the vicinity, but a protracted search 

 failed to reveal it. 



