Photo: markaharper1 / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl
Glaucidium nubicola
Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium nubicola) — Owls of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium nubicola) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 77.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Glaucidium
- Species nubicola
Quick facts
- Weight
- 77.5 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium nubicola) is a species of bird in the Strigidae family, part of the order Strigiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Colombia and Ecuador.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 77.5 g, with a wing length of about 9.2 cm and a tail of around 4.5 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6,916 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl?
The Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 77.5 g.
Where does the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl live?
The Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl is found across South America with a range covering SA Colombia and Ecuador, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl belong to?
The Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium nubicola) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl eat?
The Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl migrate?
The Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
What sound does the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl's range?
The Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl has a mapped global range of about 6,916 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Strigidae
A field guide to the Strigidae family — 236 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.