Northern Saw-whet Owl (\u3ci\u3eAegolius acadicus\u3c/i\u3e) Nest Box Project: The First Seven Years

This report summarizes the first seven years of the nest box project for the Northern Saw-whet Owl in Nebraska. The project was initiated with several goals in mind: 1) to document breeding in Nebraska, 2) to get an idea of the breeding range of saw-whet owls, and 3) to establish their breeding phenology. The project started in 2012 with the placement of 29 boxes. Six boxes were added in 2015, four more in 2016, and eight in 2017. This study, along with an ongoing study in South Dakota (Drilling 2015), makes it appear that we share an isolated breeding population. However, a continentwide study thus far indicates that the birds show little local, or even regional, site fidelity. Increased research including banding and genetic study remains to be conducted before any conclusion can be made