Saw-whet Owl Pat Snider's database contain's 77 reports for Mexico dating from 1964 through 1999. While birds have been encountered year round, most reports are from April-June when the birds are most vocal. Probable and confirmed breeding records come from most mountainous areas of the state, generally above 7000 ft. to well over 10000 ft. Between March and November, birds have been recorded in the San Juan Mts. (e.g., 9 calling birds between Tierra Amarilla and Hopewell Lake in late May), the Sangre de Cristos Mts. (e.g. Philmont Scout Ranch, Cowles, Santa Fe Ski Basin), Jemez Mts. (Los Alamos area), Mt. Taylor, Zuni Mts. (e.g., Cottonwood Gulch), Sandia Mts. (primarily Sandia Crest Road above Capulin Spring in April -June), Manzano Mts., Tularosa Mts., Gallinas Mts., and the Magdalena Mts (Water Canyon Campground to the summit). In the southern half of the state, the species is sparsely reported from the Pinos Altos Mts., Sacramento Mts., and Animas Peak. In winter (Dec. - Apr.), the birds tend to move to lower elevations (and many may leave the state) with lowland records from the Rio Grande Valley (Belen, Socorro, Mesilla, Santa Teresa), Silver City, and a few reports from the eastern Plains (Roswell, near Clayton, and the North Roosevelt Trap).
Saw-whet Owl photographed at the North Roosevelt Trap on October 20, 2007
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