Project Owlnet is a banding project that seeks to determine the timing, intensity, and pace of migration of the Northern Saw-whet Owl. The migration of these owls was not well known before this project started in the 1994. Thanks to many volunteers over the years, we've successfully hosted a site at SERC since 2017.
Saw-whet owls are one of the smallest owls in North America. In fall, the owls migrate down the east coast from northern Canada to as far as Georgia. Their small size makes them easy prey for larger predatory birds. To avoid becoming a snack, saw-whets stay silent while they travel. Saw-whet owls are also only active at night. These traits make saw-whets difficult to study. Currently, very little is known about these tiny owls and their migration habits.
Scientists used to think saw-whet owls were very rare. Now we know that their population increases and decreases over the course of several years. It is likely that the number of owls coincides with the amount of food available. But as we learn more about them, more questions arise. Are the changes we see in their population and migration natural? Or are the changes due to human activity? If the owls are sensitive to human activity, can we use them to understand our impact on the forests they live in? By participating in SERC's saw-whet owl banding project, you can help us answer these big questions.
Every year, the Project Owlnet season runs from mid-October to late-November. For the 2024 season, we will start banding Northern Saw-Whet owls on Saturday, October 19th and continue every evening through Wednesday, November 27th.
Each night, volunteers set up mist nets with an audio lure placed in the middle of the mist net array. Volunteers check the nets each hour. For each owl caught, volunteers record data on the owl’s appearance, health, size, sex, and weight. Where and when the owl was caught is also documented. The owls are given individually numbered bands issued by the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory. Then they are released, unharmed, to continue their journey.
We are not currently accepting any new volunteers for the Fall 2024 season.
Project Owlnet at SERC is entirely run by volunteers. We would not be able to collect as much data and contribute to our collective knowledge about Northern Saw-Whet Owl migration without your help.
To be eligible to volunteer, volunteers need to meet the following requirements:
For the Fall 2024 season, we will be at the Reed Center in Edgewater, MD every evening (5/6 pm until 12 am) from October 16th to November 27th.
Contact Rachael Mady, SERC Participatory Science Coordinator, at MadyR@si.edu or 443-482-2276.