Birders who prowl through conifer groves in winter sometimes find this round-headed little gnome perched there, sitting still as if to avoid notice. Avoiding notice is a task at which this owl often succeeds; it is overlooked in many places where it occurs. A tiny owl with a catlike face, oversized head, and bright yellow eyes, the Northern Saw-whet Owl is one of the most expressive owls in this series—and the fiercest when it comes to catching prey. They are highly nocturnal and live in extensively wooded areas—listen for their recorder-like toot!

Late at night in the breeding season, males give a rhythmic tooting song that may go on for hours with scarcely a break. The bird was named for this song, which reminded settlers of the sound of a whetstone sharpening a saw. Northern Saw-whet Owls eat mostly small mammals, hunting them at night from a low perch along the forest edge. The most common prey are deer mice and white-footed mice, but when migrating, they also eat other small rodents or songbirds.