In 1995, researchers from Appalachian State discovered a northern saw-whet owl nest in an old birch tree in the backcountry. North Carolina's smallest owl, the saw-whet measures only eight inches and has a wingspan of 18 inches. The peregrine falcon is another rare inhabitant of the mountain. Once on the verge of extinction because of the effects of DDT, the peregrine has made a comeback, but is still considered federally endangered. In the 1980's, the Peregrine Fund, Inc., the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service released immature peregrines on Grandfather Mountain in a hacking program.
Birders often observe peregrines soaring over the more remote parts of the mountain.
Grandfather Mountain is home to a large, year-round population of common ravens. These birds nest in secluded, usually inaccessible, ledges and cliffs in the mountain's high elevation rocky summits. If you spend some time at Grandfather, you are likely to witness ravens performing aerial acrobatics. In North Carolina, ravens are only found in the mountains and in a few Piedmont locations. Although ravens are fairly uncommon in North Carolina, the state population seems to be increasing.