Things That Go "toot" in the Night

It's been a successful inaugural season for banding Northern Saw-whet Owls in our area. Nearby Boyce-Mayview Park was the host for our first season.  We banded three owls, all females, in 12 nights of having nets open. Weather, in the form of either rain or high winds, was the major limiting factor for time spent at the station.

UV light is used to help determine the age of Northern Saw-whet Owls. These owls have a chemical in their feathers, called porphyrins. Newer feathers have more porphyrins than do older feathers. Porphyrins show up pink under UV light; the more consistent and intense the color, the newer the feathers. This information is used to determine age in Northern Saw-whet Owls.

We look forward to continuing this research and adding to our understanding of this elusive bird's migration. We hope to be able to offer a couple public nights in the future.