Northern Saw-whet Owl perched on mossy rock

Little but loud

The northern saw-whet owl's name hearkens to bygone days when it shared the Northwoods with roving lumberjacks and fur trappers. The grizzled forest workers likened this tiny owl's call—a high, sharp series of hoots often repeating for hours—to the familiar sound of a whetstone honing a saw tooth by tooth. Though best recognized for making noise, the pint-size predator is great at hearing it, too: As with many owl species, the saw-whet's ears are asymmetrical in structure and placement, allowing it to triangulate upon prey with fierce precision using sound alone.