Publication Date
Spring 2014
School
School of Health Sciences
Major
Biology: Environmental Science
Keywords
Northern Saw-whet Owls, migration, Liberty University, Camp Hydaway
Disciplines
Animal Sciences | Behavior and Ethology | Biology | Poultry or Avian Science
Recommended Citation
Ray, Brandon M., "Northern Saw-whet Owls: A Descriptive Look at Their Anatomy, Behavior, and Migration" (2014). Senior Honors Theses. 409.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/409
Abstract
The Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a small species of migratory owl native to North America. Through an analysis of research conducted at Liberty University’s Camp Hydaway in the Piedmont of Virginia as well as comparison studies at owl netting stations in the mountains and the coastal plain, it was shown that the Northern Saw-whet migrates along consistent routes southward while the timing and frequency of the migration varies by several days based on sex, age, owl population fluctuations, weather, and the owls’ physical health. Several years’ worth of owl capture data were compiled from stations across Virginia to develop an accurate picture of fluctuations within an otherwise consistent migration pattern.
