The Bermuda saw-whet owl is an extinct species of owl that was endemic to Bermuda. It was described from fossil records and explorer accounts of the bird in the 17th century.
Region
North Atlantic (Bermuda)
Typical Environment
Endemic to the Bermuda archipelago, occupying native cedar and palmetto woodlands, scrub, and thickets. It likely used tree cavities, limestone crevices, and sinkholes for nesting or roosting. The species would have hunted along forest edges and clearings where prey was most active. Given Bermuda’s small land area, its range was inherently restricted to the main islands and adjacent islets.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 80 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Bermuda saw-whet owl was a small, extinct owl endemic to Bermuda, known from subfossil remains and brief 17th‑century explorer accounts. It likely evolved from a North American ancestor and adapted to Bermuda’s forested habitats in the absence of native terrestrial mammals. Human settlement, habitat alteration, and introduced predators probably led to its rapid decline and extinction. Most knowledge of the species comes from bones found in caves and sinkholes.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through dense cover
Social Behavior
Likely nested in natural tree cavities or crevices, similar to other Aegolius owls. Pair bonds formed during the breeding season with the male provisioning the incubating female. Clutches probably consisted of several eggs laid at intervals, with asynchronous hatching typical of small owls.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Although not recorded, it likely gave a series of clear, evenly spaced whistled toots resembling other saw-whet owls. Soft contact calls and higher-pitched begging calls from fledglings would have been heard near nest sites.
Plumage
Compact owl with finely spotted brown upperparts and streaked whitish underparts; soft, dense feathers for silent flight.
Diet
Primarily small vertebrates and large invertebrates. On Bermuda this likely included insects, small lizards such as the Bermuda skink, and possibly small birds or nestlings. It hunted from low perches, dropping silently onto prey detected by sound. Opportunistic feeding would have varied with seasonal prey availability.
Preferred Environment
Edges of cedar and palmetto woodland, scrubby thickets, and around sinkholes or clearings where prey concentrates. Perch-hunting along hedgerows and forest margins would have been typical.
