Baby saw-whet owls: from egg to fledgling
A Northern Saw-whet Owl lays 4–7 eggs. They hatch after 27–29 days, and the young leave the nest 27–34 days later — about 54–63 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 4–7 eggs
- Incubation
- 27–29 days
- Time in the nest
- 27–34 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 54–63 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
- Nest
- Old woodpecker cavity or nest box in mixed forest
- Uses nest boxes
- Yes — 2 1/2 in hole
Stage by stage
- Eggs (27–29 days): 4–7 eggs per clutch. Most songbirds start incubating when the last or second-to-last egg is laid, so the young hatch close together; owls and hawks start with the first egg, so their chicks hatch days apart.
- Nestlings (27–34 days): the young hatch with little or no down and their eyes closed. They grow fast on a diet the parents bring in. In the breeding season saw-whet owls mainly eat deer mice, voles and shrews.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young saw-whet owls are fully feathered but short-tailed and clumsy. They spend days to weeks on low branches or the ground while the parents keep feeding them.
- More broods: 1–2 per season. Pairs often start a new nest soon after the first young become independent.
When saw-whet owls nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in California (Feb) and latest in Alaska (Apr). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Apr–Jun |
| Alberta | Apr–Jun |
| British Columbia | Apr–Jun |
| California | Feb–Jun |
| Colorado | Mar–Jun |
| Connecticut | Mar–Jun |
| Idaho | Mar–Jun |
| Maine | Apr–Jun |
| Manitoba | Apr–Jun |
| Massachusetts | Mar–Jun |
| Michigan | Mar–Jun |
| Minnesota | Apr–Jun |
| Montana | Apr–Jun |
| Nevada | Mar–Jun |
| New Brunswick | Apr–Jun |
| New Hampshire | Apr–Jun |
| New Jersey | Mar–Jun |
| New York | Mar–Jun |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Apr–Jun |
| Northwest Territories | Apr–Jun |
| Nova Scotia | Apr–Jun |
| Nunavut | Apr–Jun |
| Ontario | Apr–Jun |
| Oregon | Mar–Jun |
| Pennsylvania | Mar–Jun |
| Prince Edward Island | Apr–Jun |
| Quebec | Apr–Jun |
| Rhode Island | Mar–Jun |
| Saskatchewan | Apr–Jun |
| Utah | Mar–Jun |
| Vermont | Apr–Jun |
| Washington | Mar–Jun |
| Wisconsin | Apr–Jun |
| Wyoming | Apr–Jun |
| Yukon | Apr–Jun |
Found a baby Northern Saw-whet Owl?
- Feathered, hopping, can grip your finger: a fledgling. This is a normal stage. Keep pets and children away and watch from a distance; the parents are usually close by.
- Bare skin or only pin feathers: a nestling that fell. If you can see the nest, put it back. Touching it won't make the parents abandon it — that is a myth.
- Injured, cold, covered in flies, or caught by a cat: contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. In the US and Canada, ahnow.org finds the nearest one.
- Don't give water or food. Baby birds can choke, and the wrong food can kill them.
More about saw-whet owls
Frequently asked
How long do baby saw-whet owls stay in the nest?
About 27–34 days after hatching. Eggs take 27–29 days to hatch, so it is roughly 54–63 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a Northern Saw-whet Owl lay?
4–7 eggs per clutch, with 1–2 per season.
Where do saw-whet owls nest?
Old woodpecker cavity or nest box in mixed forest.
What should I do if I find a baby Northern Saw-whet Owl on the ground?
If it has feathers and hops, it is a fledgling and its parents are almost certainly nearby — leave it. If it is naked or has pin feathers, put it back in the nest if you can. Call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator if it is injured.