Visual Search | Wizard | Browse
Bird name:

Northern Pygmy-Owl

Glaucidium gnomaOrder: STRIGIFORMES Family: True Owls (Strigidae)
Codes: Common Name: NOPO Scientific Name: GLAGNO ITIS Taxonomic No.: 177902

Breeding Location:

Forests, dense at high elevations, Montane and foothill woodlands



Breeding Type:

Monogamous



Breeding Population:

Fairly common to uncommon



Egg Color:

White



Number of Eggs:

1 - 7



Incubation Days:

28 - 29



Egg Incubator:

Female



Nest Material:

In old woodpecker hole and dead tree cavities.



Migration:

Nonmigratory



Splitbar

Recommended Products:

Clingers Only Feeder
Weather resistant inexpensive feeder is ideal for small birds.
Suet Delight
Easy to hang and maintain, holds all kinds of packaged suet.
Ultimate Woodpecker Feeder
Only allows woodpeckers to feed made of Inland Cedar.
The No-No Copper Feeder
Beautiful copper feeder holds 2.5 lbs of sunflower seeds.
Attracting Clingers

General

Northern Pygmy-Owl: Small owl with upperparts and sides that range from plain brown to white-spotted gray-brown or gray. Underparts are white with thick brown stripes. Head is brown or gray with fine white spots; lacks ear tufts. Eyes are yellow with distinct white eyebrows. White-bordered black spots on back of head resemble an extra pair of eyes. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Northern Pygmy-Owl: Resident on the Pacific coast from southern Alaska to Central America; also found in the Rocky Mountains. Preferred habitats include open coniferous and mixed forests, open fields, wetlands, and logged areas.

Breeding and Nesting

Northern Pygmy-Owl: Two to seven white eggs are laid in a nest built in an old woodpecker hole, usually in a conifer. Eggs are incubated for 29 days by the female; male brings her food while on the nest.

Foraging and Feeding

Northern Pygmy-Owl: Prey consists of birds, such as swallows, jays, and chickadees, and mammals, such as shrews, moles, and chipmunks; a predominantly sit-and-wait predator that hunts by day.

Vocalization

Northern Pygmy-Owl: Primary call of the male is a series of repetitive, whistled hoots "too-too-too-too-too-too-too", given at intervals of one to two seconds; also makes a high whinny when bringing food to his mate. Female has a cackling call. Other calls include an ascending staccato series of whistles; when excited, may emit a high-pitched trill.

Similar Species

Northern Pygmy-Owl: Ferruginous Owl has a rufous tail with dark bars and brown streaks on underparts. Elf Owl is smaller, has a shorter tail, lacks eyespots on nape, and has faint streaks on underparts.

.
Family True Owl (Strigidae)_blue
Species Glaucidium gnoma
Length7 - 7.5 Inches
Wingspan12 Inches

Northern Pygmy-Owl

Northern Pygmy-Owl: Small owl, upperparts and sides range from brown to white-spotted gray-brown or gray. White underparts have brown stripes. Head is brown or gray with white spots; no ear tufts. Yellow eyes have white eyebrows. White-bordered black spots on back of head resemble a pair of eyes.

● Song: "too-too too"

● Foraging & Feeding: Northern Pygmy-Owl: Prey consists of birds, such as swallows, jays, and chickadees, and mammals, such as shrews, moles, and chipmunks; a predominantly sit-and-wait predator that hunts by day.

● Breeding & nesting: Northern Pygmy-Owl: Two to seven white eggs are laid in a nest built in an old woodpecker hole, usually in a conifer. Eggs are incubated for 29 days by the female; male brings her food while on the nest.

● Similar species: Northern Pygmy-Owl: Ferruginous Owl has a rufous tail with dark bars and brown streaks on underparts. Elf Owl is smaller, has a shorter tail, lacks eyespots on nape, and has faint streaks on underparts.

Flight Pattern

Undulating flight., Bursts of quick wingbeats.
Northern Pygmy-Owl Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Northern Pygmy-Owl: Resident on the Pacific coast from southern Alaska to Central America; also found in the Rocky Mountains. Preferred habitats include open coniferous and mixed forests, open fields, wetlands, and logged areas.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationFairly common to uncommon
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight2.2 Ounces
UnderpartsX
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Read more...
ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

Read more...
Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX