Photo: BBODO / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Elf Owl
Micrathene whitneyi
Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi) — Owls of North America.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 41 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Micrathene
- Species whitneyi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 41 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Elf Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Elf Owl is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi) is a member of the Strigidae family, within the order Strigiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw USA to c Mexico.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 41 g, with a wing length of about 10.8 cm and a tail of around 4.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 643,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Elf Owl?
The Elf Owl is a small bird that weighs around 41 g.
Where does the Elf Owl live?
The Elf Owl is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw USA to c Mexico, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Elf Owl belong to?
The Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Elf Owl eat?
The Elf Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Elf Owl migrate?
The Elf Owl is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Elf Owl endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Elf Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Elf 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 Elf Owl's range?
The Elf Owl has a mapped global range of about 643,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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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.