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  • Home
  • APAL
    • A-PAL History >
      • A-PAL Humane Society Leadership Team
      • APAL Leadership Opportunities
    • APAL Programs >
      • The Rusty Fund >
        • Rusty's Pet Tails
      • Save the Kittens
      • Spay or Neuter
      • Second Chance K9 >
        • TCK9-2014 Graduates
      • Community Cats >
        • Understanding Feral Cats
        • How to Trap a Feral Cat
      • Special Needs >
        • Special Needs Stories
      • Adopt a Friend
      • Trap-Neuter-Return
      • APAL Tracking Our Progress
    • Support A-PAL >
      • Volunteer for APAL
      • Foster for A-Pal >
        • Foster Forms >
          • Foster Program Protocol
          • Kitten Health Checklist
          • Kitten Growth Chart
          • Guide to Feline URI
      • Donate to A-PAL >
        • Donate your Car
        • Giving Tuesday 2020
      • A-PAL Wish List
      • A-PAL Facility Sponsor
    • APAL Events >
      • APAL Calendar
      • APAL Past Events >
        • SantaPaws2019
        • Bark in the Park 2019
        • Whiskers and Wine 2017
        • Whiskers and Wine 2014
        • Bark in the Park 2014
        • Whiskers and Wine 2015
        • Bark In The Park 2015
        • Maui Raffle
        • Santa Paws 2015
    • Partners >
      • Shelter Partners >
        • Shelter Partners on TSPN
        • Dec14News-PitBulls
        • Jan15News-Excel
        • Feb15News-BenefitsOfPets
        • Feb15News-HarmfulAlgaeBlooms
        • Mar15News-Hoarding
        • Apr15News-TNR
        • Sep15News-QAMargeB
        • Oct15News-ButteFire
        • Oct15News-Bats
        • Nov15News-SeparationAnxiety
        • Dec15News-Tips4Treats
        • Jan16-Volunteer
        • Apr16-TNR
        • July16News-Center
        • Sep16News-ACART
        • Nov17News-ServiceDogs
  • TCWC
    • Find an animal in need? >
      • Audio Wildlife Tips
      • WhereAreWe
    • TCWC History >
      • TCWC Leadership Team
      • TCWC Leadership Opportunities
    • Wildlife Programs >
      • Education >
        • TCWC Education Events >
          • TCWC Education Animals
        • WildlifeSavesUs
        • Living Wildlife Friendly >
          • Save the Bees
          • Holiday Decorations
          • Kill That Lawn
          • Songbird Concert Tips
          • Holiday Trash
          • Alert Your Birds
          • Water to Help the Critters!
          • Bread is for Sandwiches
          • No Dogs Allowed
          • Repurpose to Feed the Birds
          • GoNative
          • Netting It Out
          • Balloons
          • E-Waste
          • Organic Food
          • AllThatGlitters
          • Fly Strips and Glue Traps
          • Toxic Household Products
          • Recycling Pumpkins
          • Tree Trimming Tips
          • Saving Venomous Species
          • Think Biodegradeable
        • Nuisance Wildlife >
          • Nuisance-SayNoToTrapping
          • Foxlights
          • Wildproof Your Home
        • Gold Country Critters
        • Keep Them Wild and Free
        • TCWC Videos
        • Points to Ponder
      • TCWC-Tracking Our Progress >
        • TCWC 2016 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2017 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2018 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2019 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2020 Impact Report
      • TCWC Patients >
        • Success Stories >
          • 1 - Opossum Call
          • 2 - Raccoon Behind the Grill!
          • 3 - Saving a Raven
          • LongTripHome
          • Anita's Bird Comes Home
          • College the Wild Way
          • Releases
        • TCWC Critter Show
    • TCWC Events >
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        • GivingTuesday2020
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        • TCWC-WildlifeWorkshop2020
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        • No Dinner-Dinner
        • Paws&Claws 2018
        • AnimalScapes
        • Paws & Claws 2016
        • TCWC Grand Opening
        • Wildlife Workshop 2014
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        • Hot Rod Heaven 2014
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May 2021 - The Pygmy Owl

PicturePhoto courtesy of Frank R. Perez
Pygmy - an adjective, used in names of animals and plants that are much smaller than more typical kinds. So, yes, the Northern Pygmy-Owl is much smaller than the typical owl. For comparison, it is a bit plumper than a mountain Bluebird. Their length is 6 to 7 inches, they weigh 2 to 2 1/2 ounces and have a 15 inch wingspan. A great horned owl they are not!

These owls are found in forests alongside streams and in higher elevations in fir, spruce and mixed conifer forests. They are found in Canada, the western United States and down into Mexico and Central America.

They have a large, circular head, a long tail and fairly short, rounded wings. Northern Pygmy-Owls have fine white speckles on a brown head and white spots on their back. Dark patches on the back of the neck look like eyes and are a distinctive feature. They have yellow eyes and a yellow bill.

Other than being unusually small, they also differ from other owls because they do not have asymmetrically placed ears or flattened facial discs. Both of these features help other owls hunt by sound. Pygmy-Owls are diurnal (active during the day) and rely more on vision than sound for hunting.
And what a fierce and bold hunter they are! They have a taste for songbirds such as hummingbirds, chickadees, warblers and sparrows. Sometimes, they attack prey that is larger than themselves such as California quail, Northern Flicker, squirrels, gophers or chickens! Their diet also includes rodents, insects such as beetles, butterflies, and crickets. Lizards and skinks are also on the menu. A Pygmy-Owl will sit quietly and surprise their prey. If they have more food than they need, they will cache it in tree cavities or hang it on tree thorns.

Northern Pygmy-Owls will not dig their own nest holes as they prefer to use a natural cavity or an old cavity excavated by a woodpecker. You cannot attract them with a nest box as you might with a barn owl. Two to seven eggs are laid at the bottom of the cavity which is lined with wood chips, decomposing leaves, feathers, and moss. The female incubates the eggs for 28 days and the male is the provider for her while she incubates. They both will hunt for the hatchlings.

Two ways to try to spot these tiny owls: listen for a series of evenly spaced and high-pitched toots. Or look for groups of mobbing songbirds. Though songbirds, such as hummingbirds, wrens, warblers, and blackbirds are prey for these diminutive owls, they will mob the owl trying to drive it away.
A Northern Pygmy-Owl found in Oregon during banding operations is the oldest known Pygmy-Owl at 3 years and eleven months old.

Tri County Wildlife Care, a local nonprofit started in 1994, is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of our native wildlife and helping our community live in balance with wildlife. They envision a world where wildlife and people thrive together. For more information call (209) 283-3245, or visit pawspartners.org.

Learn More!
Wikipedia
Cornell
Audubon
Picture
Photo courtesy of Frank R. Perez

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