Photo: Wear146 / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Northern Pygmy Owl
Glaucidium californicum
Northern Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium californicum) — Owls of North America.
The Northern Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium californicum) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 70.5 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 Glaucidium
- Species californicum
Where it lives
Western NA from southeastern Alaska to northern Mexico
Quick facts
- Weight
- 70.5 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Northern Pygmy Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Northern Pygmy Owl is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Northern Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium californicum) 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 w NA from se Alaska to n Mexico.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 70.5 g, with a wing length of about 9.4 cm and a tail of around 6.8 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 1.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Northern Pygmy Owl?
The Northern Pygmy Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 70.5 g.
Where does the Northern Pygmy Owl live?
The Northern Pygmy Owl is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA w NA from se Alaska to n Mexico, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Northern Pygmy Owl belong to?
The Northern Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium californicum) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Northern Pygmy Owl eat?
The Northern Pygmy Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Northern Pygmy Owl migrate?
The Northern Pygmy Owl is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Northern Pygmy 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 Northern Pygmy Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Northern Pygmy 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 Northern Pygmy Owl's range?
The Northern Pygmy Owl has a mapped global range of about 1.9 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.
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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.