The Northern Saw-whet Owl is the most common owl found across most of southern Canada. Like other owls, it is a difficult species to monitor because of its nocturnal habits. Results from the Christmas Bird Count suggest a large increase in the Canadian population relative to 1970, though the reliability of this assessment is considered low. The Northern Saw-whet Owl brooksi subspecies is found only on the Haida Gwaii archipelago in British Columbia (COSEWIC 2017c), where its distribution is strongly correlated with the presence of old-growth forests (Gill and Cannings 1997). Rates of habitat loss through forest harvest led the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada to assess the subspecies as Threatened in 2006 and again in 2017 (COSEWIC 2017c). These rates suggest that there has also been a decrease in the subspecies population since 1970. With such a large percentage of the global breeding population, Canada's responsibility for the Northern Saw-whet Owl brooksi subspecies is very high. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
Northern Saw-whet Owls nest in cavities excavated by large woodpeckers (e.g., Northern Flickers and Pileated Woodpeckers), but will also readily use appropriate nest boxes (Rasmussen et al. 2008). Local population densities can vary widely from year to year, presumably fluctuating with the density of their prey (Marks and Doremus 2000, Confer et al. 2014). The species prefers older forest and woodlot habitats (Rasmussen et al. 2008), which provide nest-sites and openings for foraging. The brooksi subspecies is endemic to the Haida Gwaii archipelago and is different genetically, morphologically, and behaviourally from continental populations of Saw-whet Owls (Withrow et al. 2014). The subspecies is non-migratory and is thought to be threatened by on-going logging (particularly of its preferred old forest nesting habitat), nest predation by introduced species such as red squirrels, raccoons, and rats, and by over-browsing by introduced deer, which may reduce prey availability. Approximately one third of the Archipelago is now protected within the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (Parks Canada Agency 2016a). For information on the legal status of this subspecies under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) see the SARA Registry.
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.
