Saw-whet owls make stopovers to refuel on migration

Tracking devices are revealing previously unknown routes and stopover behavior of one of the smallest owls in North America during their migration. Researchers don’t know exactly where northern saw-whet owls (Aegolius acadicus) migrate—the human hand-sized raptors are fairly cryptic. But a new study published in the Journal of Raptor Research using VHF tracking devices has revealed that populations in western Montana pause to rest and refuel during their seasonal movements. Most tracked owls moved three to five miles per night, though one took a 40-mile trip during a single night. “Stopover behavior is really difficult to tease out from banding data, so it’s been largely unexplored until now,” said lead author Kate Stone from MPG Ranch in a press release. “This behavior shows that saw-whets really are reliant on ground conditions to support their migratory journeys.” Learning more about these migration routes could help conservation planning and habitat connectivity action.

Read more at the Journal of Raptor Research.