Hilton Pond Center is part of a national network of research stations monitoring migrational patterns of the Northern Saw-whet Owl, Aegolius acadicus, a tiny nocturnal bird that breeds primarily in southern Canada, the western U.S., the eastern U.S. north of Kentucky and Virginia, and down the central Appalachians. During winter, they range somewhat further south, but no one really knows how far.

By playing a continuous-loop tape of the monotonous "toot-toot" saw-whet call from dusk to dawn, it is possible to lure this species for capture in mist nets. Last year, seven saw-whets were captured after dark at Hilton Pond Center, the first two on 28 November 1999 and the last one on 8 December. This nearly doubled the total number of saw-whets (four) that had ever been banded in South Carolina.

In 2000, night-netting commenced on 31 October--a month earlier than last year--to try to determine when the earliest migrant saw-whets might arrive. Despite 11 nights of running nets in early and mid-November, no saw-whets were captured-- not until 30 November, that is--one year and one day after the first Hilton Pond owls were caught!

The 10:45 pm check on 30 November revealed a small, robin-sized bird in one of the nets--a featherball that was unmistakably a Northern Saw-whet Owl (see photos above). The bird was removed from the net and taken to the banding lab, where weight and wing measurements indicated it was a female. (Males are smaller.) An examination of the wing feathers showed that some were freshly molted but most were old (below)-- a good sign that the bird probably hatched in 1999, or perhaps before. After a band was placed on its fully furred leg (bottom photo), the owl was placed on a deck railing from which it soon departed, flying silently into the night and a world of darkness about which science needs to know more.

All text & photos © Hilton Pond Center

Was it just an amazing coincidence that this owl was captured practically on the first anniversary of the birds from 1999, or do saw-whets always arrive here in South Carolina's Piedmont at the very end of November? We can't say for certain, but the only way to get a handle on this kind of question is to net for Northern Saw-whet Owls again in the fall of 2001-- guaranteeing us yet another season of sleepless nights to look forward to at Hilton Pond Center!

All text & photos © Hilton Pond Center

The following species were banded this week:

Yellow-rumped Warbler--1
American Goldfinch--1
White-throated Sparrow--4
Hermit Thrush--1
Eastern (Rufous-sided) Towhee--1
American Robin--1
Northern Saw-whet Owl--1

WEEKLY TOTAL
7 species
10 individuals

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