by woodpeckers, and is thought to lay five or six eggs. Vocalization The male unspotted saw-whet owl's territorial call is "a whistled hoo hoo hoo…" given about 10 times over three to five seconds. Females give "a hight, slightly hissing ssirr". Both sexes give "a surprisingly loud shriek and a shrill short chipper". The call of tree frogs of genus Anotheca is extremely similar to the owl's song and easily confused with it. Status The IUCN originally assessed the unspotted saw-whet owl as Near Threatened but since 2004 has rated it as being of Least Concern. Its population size is not known but is believed to be stable. Only in the highest elevations of its range is its forest habitat relatively undisturbed; at lower elevations deforestation for timber, agriculture, and pasturing is widespread. Mexican conservation authorities list it as in peril of extinction in that country. References unspotted saw-whet owl Birds of Mexico Birds of Guatemala Birds of El Salvador Birds of Costa Rica Birds of Panama unspotted saw-whet owl Taxa named by Anastasio Alfaro