Adopt A Bird spotlight: Aspen

Starting today, I’ll be featuring a bird from our "Adopt-a-bird" program. Each post will include the individual bird’s story and a natural history of the species. Adopt-a-bird is a fun way to donate to the sanctuary. Every donation helps to feed, house, and provide medical care for the bird of your choice! Adopt-A-Bird Parents Receive:

* * Certificate of Adoption
* * Color photo of the bird you've adopted
* * Sponsorship Card
* * One year's subscription to Mews News (our quarterly newsletter)
* * Life History and Natural History of the bird
* * 10% Discount off WBS merchandise
* * Invitation to Sponsors-only events like Camera Day
* * Discounts on WBS Special Events
* * WBS Decal
* *A personal visit with the bird you adopt!!!!! Call 636-861-3225 to set up a time for your personal visit.

To adopt today’s bird, simply click our donation button, make a donation of $50, and specify in your payment notes: Adopt-a-bird: ASPEN. Also include your name, phone number, and mailing address so that we can send you your adoption materials!

Aspen’s story

Species: Northern Saw-whet Owl
Age: Unknown

Aspen was brought to our Rehabilitation Hospital after sustaining injuries due to a vehicle collision in the Hillsboro area. She had severe injuries to her right wing and shoulder. After three months of intensive treatment she was again healthy, but unable to fully extend her injured right wing. Because of this, she is unreleasable. It was decided that even though she can’t be returned to the wild, she can be a spokesbird for her species at the World Bird Sanctuary’s Office of Wildlife Learning. Though people have begun referring to Aspen as female, we do not really know the sex. The only way we can be certain is if we have the bird surgically sexed or if an egg is laid.

Because Aspen was already fully mature when we received her, she is still wary of humans, and is being allowed to slowly acclimate to the humans she will encounter as a display bird. If you visit Aspen in the near future, you will notice that she has a partial privacy screen around her enclosure so that, if she is feeling stressed by too much human contact, she can retreat to an area where she feels comfortable. The adoption donation for Aspen is $50.00.

Natural History

Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus

Description: very small, short-bodied owl; relatively short tail; overly large head has no ear tufts; facial disk has brownish and whitish radials around the edge, which fade to a whitish area around the eyes; a dark area from the base of the bill extends to the bottom inside edge of each eye; rest of the head is brownish to grey-brown densely covered with white streaks, especially on the forehead; eyes are large and bright yellow-orange; bill is black; fluffy plumage is brownish overall, streaked with white underneath and spotted on the back; flight feathers are spotted white; legs and feet are light buff and heavily feathered; toes are lightly feathered; claws are dark horn with blackish tips;

Sex: females slightly larger than males, otherwise identical in appearance

Age: 8 years in captivity; high mortality in the wild

Length: 6.7-8.6” Wingspan: 18-22” Weight: 2.6-3.9 oz.

Habitat: coniferous and deciduous forests with thickets of second-growth or shrubs; breeding habitat usually swampy or wet
Status: not endangered; locally frequent

Range: southeast Alaska to Mexico in the west; from the west coast of southern Canada to the east coast of the northern U.S.; winter range covers most of the Midwestern U.S. from the Rockies to the east coast;

Behavior: strictly nocturnal; roost in foliage during the day, usually close to the ground; flight is rapid, woodpecker-like, and undulating; pair bonds are not believed to be permanent; males stake out territory in late March-April; once a female has been attracted, he will fly in circles above her while calling; then he begins a complex series of bobbing and shuffling; he may offer her a mouse; nests are usually in old woodpecker cavities; nesting occurs between March-July; clutch size ranges from 3-7 eggs; female does all the incubation; young fledge at 4-5 weeks and are cared for by parents for some weeks; sexually mature at 9-10 months.

Diet: feed almost entirely on mammals, primarily mice, shrews and voles; other prey may include squirrels, moles, bats, small birds, and occasionally frogs and insects;

Vocalization: vocalizes during breeding season only; courtship call is a monotonous, whistled “hoop”, emitted at about 1.5 notes per second; this owl’s name comes from the “skiew” call made when alarmed; when the male flies to the nest with food it gives a rapid staccato burst of toots, and female answers with a soft “swEE”