Caching Behavior by Wintering Northern Saw-Whet Owls, Aegolius acadicus

Arnold Devine, Dwight G. Smith

Abstract


We observed 16 instances of caching behavior by Northern Saw-whet Owls in southern Connecticut between 30 October and 29 March over a 23-year period 1982 to 2004. Caches consisted of a single prey item in 13 instances and two prey items in three instances. Prey was cached either directly beneath the owl or from 5-28 cm distant, always on the same branch on which the owl was roosting. Observations of cached prey marked in the morning suggested that it was consumed after 14:30 in the afternoon of the same day. Such a delay indicated a true cache rather than delayed feeding.

Keywords


Northern Saw-whet Owl; Aegolius acadicus; caching behavior; Connecticut

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v119i4.191

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