Notes on a Captive Saw-whet Owl 1 



By Howard H. Cleaves 



On Sunday, February 7, 1909, it was my good fortune, in 

 company with Mr.- James Chapin, Mr. Alanson B. Skinner and 

 Messrs. George and Isaac Wort, to come upon the roost of a 

 saw- whet owl, Nyctala acadica (Gmel), near Woodrow, Staten 

 Island. It was in a mixed growth of small cedars and sweet 

 gums that the roost was discovered, the cedars being the trees 

 used chiefly. On the ground under these trees were found num- 

 bers of pellets, the size of which told very plainly that they 

 were those of a saw-whet owl. 



Mr. Skinner discovered the owl itself only a short way off 

 while the rest of us were examining pellets and looking for other 

 roost trees. It was perched in a cedar and had been intently 

 watching our movements. Mr. Skinner attempted several photo- 

 graphs with his pocket kodak, but, owing to the very poor light 

 which prevailed at that time of day (late afternoon), they were 

 practically useless. 



It was decided that an attempt to catch the owl should be 

 made. It could be approached to within about six feet, when it 

 would fly some distance and light again, sometimes in a sapling 

 and again on the ground. After perhaps half a dozen of these 

 short chases had taken place, the owl was gradually surrounded 

 on all sides by the members of the party. Slowly we closed 

 in on it, each person standing perfectly still when the owl looked 

 in his direction, but advancing when the owl turned his head to 

 look at another. He could not watch all at once, and became 

 so confused that a sudden rush from the rear by George Wort 

 resulted in a capture. 



Since the time that he lost his freedom I have had the owl in 



1 Presented February 20, 1909. 



155 



