Photo: Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Little Owl
Athene noctua
Little Owl (Athene noctua) — Owls of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Little Owl (Athene noctua) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 169 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 Athene
- Species noctua
Quick facts
- Weight
- 169 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Little Owl is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Little Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Little Owl (Athene noctua) is a species of bird in the Strigidae family, part of the order Strigiformes. Its range spans Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF widespread PAL and n, ne AF.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 169 g, with a wing length of about 15.7 cm and a tail of around 7.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 26.7 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Little Owl?
The Little Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 169 g.
Where does the Little Owl live?
The Little Owl is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF widespread PAL and n, ne AF, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Little Owl belong to?
The Little Owl (Athene noctua) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Little Owl eat?
The Little Owl is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Little Owl migrate?
The Little Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Little 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 Little Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Little Owl — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Little Owl's range?
The Little Owl has a mapped global range of about 26.7 million 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.