Meet Sawyer, the northern saw-whet owl, whose wing was damaged by a predator two years ago. Unfortunately, his wing was damaged beyond repair and had to be amputated. Unable to return to the wild, the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society (MARS) is building him a safe enclosure with funding provided by the forestry industry.

The forestry industry has also been long-time supporters of the center. In addition, one part of the forestry industry’s responsibility on public lands includes having a biodiversity strategy that conserves habitat for species like the northern saw-whet owl, along with many others animals.

MARS’s mission is to conserve and protect native wildlife and its natural habitat through education and rehabilitation, attracting 10,000 visitors per year to their center.

Sawyer’s new wooden home will be 240 square feet, including a viewing room with a spot for privacy, and protection from outside predators – a little larger than the traditional home of a northern saw-whet owl, which is normally a used-woodpecker nest.

While he only stands six-inches tall and weighs 86 grams, what Sawyer lacks in stature he makes up for in personality. As an educational ambassador bird, he attends 30 public awareness events a year and is a star attraction.

As he awaits the building of his new forever home to be completed in Spring 2017, Sawyer is in the process of developing his own line of t-shirts and tote bags to generate further awareness about his species.