This small owl nests in woods and boreal forests across central Canada, south into the mountains of the U.S., as far as Mexico, and is quite migratory, moving well south of its breeding range in winter. We who live along the northern side of Lake Ontario are lucky as this species often migrates south until it reaches Lake Ontario, and then west or south-west, sometimes in large numbers. However, it is very nocturnal and perches quietly in the day, often in very dense vegetation, and can be hard to find.