Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius
acadicus
Uncommon to fairly common in forest zones at low and moderate elevations throughout. True distribution obscured by limited, unsystematic nature of nocturnal BBA surveys in most of four-county area. Concentration of records in forested lowlands and foothills of King County and on Bainbridge Island directly reflects greater observer effort there. Anomalous 13 April 1997 record near Hanson Creek along Columbia River may represent migrant, but could reflect this nomadic owl's propensity to remain and rarely nest in shrub-steppe riparian situations. Apparently rare in highest-elevation forest. Uses tree cavities or nest boxes for nesting.
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