Northern Saw-Whet Owl With an Itch

Roused from a nap this little fellow raised his leg and displayed his feathered foot and sharp talons. He chose the small hollowed out cavity of this tree for shelter during the day to sleep on a cold winter day. He is between 7 and 8" tall and about 2.5 oz. in weight making this the smallest owl species in North America.
Photo was awarded winner in Your Best Wildlife Shots of December 2019 and then subsequently Best of Nikonians. 2019

owlraptorbirdNorthern SawWhet OwlSawWhet Owl

From Birdlife