Alternative names: California Pygmy-Owl; Rocky Mountain Pygmy-Owl; Vancouver Pygmy-Owl
- Glaucidium gnoma
Includes: Mountain Pygmy-Owl; Guatemalan Pygmy-Owl; Cape Pygmy-Owl, Baja Pygmy Owl
Identification
18.5 cm. It has greyish or brownish or reddish (3 morphs; intermediates are also known) upperparts and light belly that is boldly streaked with brown. The head and nape have whitish dots (more cinnamon or buff on red morph). On the nape are 2 distinctive, vertical black patches that resemble an extra pair of eyes. The relatively long tail is distinctly barred with 6 to 7 light stripes. Eyes are yellow, bill is yellowish-horn, and the toes are greyish-yellow. Juveniles are similar to adults but with unspotted and greyer heads, and fluffy plumage.
Distribution
From Alaska south over western North America to Mexico and south to Guatemala and Honduras.
Taxonomy
Consists of several subspecies which are sometimes accepted as full species.
- Northern Pygmy-Owl group (Glaucidium californicum) or Pacific Pygmy-Owl
- G. g. grinnelli from Alaska to northern California
- G. g. swarthi on Vancouver Island
- G. g. californicum from British Columbia to southwest USA and northwest Mexico
- Rocky Mountains Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium pinicola)
- G. g. pinicola in the Rocky Mountains of west-central USA
- Mountain Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium gnoma)
- Cape Pygmy-Owl/Baja Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium hoskinsii)
- G. g. hoskinsii in Baja California, Mexico
- Guatemalan Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium cobanense)
Some authorities split all these groups as full species. However, most of the world-wide checklists don't.
Habitat
Open coniferous and mixed forests from valley bottoms up to treeline.
Behaviour
This is a diurnal owl (active in daytime).
Diet includes small mammals, small to medium sized birds, reptiles, larger insects, and amphibians within their range. The Owl's preference seems to be mice, birds, and large insects with studies indicating that about 90% of their diet is comprised of small mammals and birds. During winter, surplus prey is cached in a cavity, often in large quantities. These caches help small owls like these meet their metabolic needs during very cold winter periods. Summer caches are usually much smaller.
They nest in natural tree cavities. 3 to 7 eggs are laid and incubated by the female for about 29 days, while the male brings food and defends the nest.
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1999. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 5: Barn-Owls to Hummingbirds. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334252
- Birdforum thread discussing Guatemalan Pygmy Owl
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Northern Pygmy Owl. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Northern_Pygmy_Owl
External Links
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Search the Gallery using the common name:
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
