Artist: Nat Drumheller

Only eight inches in length, the Northern Saw-whet Owl is a regular breeder and resident in the forests of lower Glacier Bay. Numbers of these small owls fluctuate from year to year. Seasonal population differences probably mirror prey availability with voles being a key food species. The owl shown here was perched in a lichen covered willow near its nest which was in a man-made nest box in the town of Gustavus near Glacier Bay.