Northern Pygmy-owl

Glaucidium gnoma

Despite being one of North America’s tiniest owls, this compact, stocky owl has a reputation as being one of the most bloodthirsty, fearlessly hunting and carrying off prey up to three times its own size.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Northern Pygmy-owl is a compact raptor with a round head lacking ear tufts. Its upperparts are brown with white spotting, while the underparts are white with dark streaks. The tail is long and barred.

Both sexes are similar in appearance, with females slightly larger. Juveniles resemble adults but may have a less distinct facial disk and fewer white spots on the back.

Size

Length

15cm to 17cm

Wingspan

38cm to 43cm

Weight

50g to 73g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Brown White

Secondary Colour

Grey

Beak Colour

Yellow

Leg Colour

Yellow

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Northern Pygmy-owl can be found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Northern Pygmy-owl is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Northern Pygmy-owl is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Northern Pygmy-owl is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Northern Pygmy-owl is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Northern Pygmy-owl is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Northern Pygmy-owl is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Northern Pygmy-owl is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Northern Pygmy-owl is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Northern Pygmy-owl is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Northern Pygmy-owl can be found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Northern Pygmy-owl is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Northern Pygmy-owls inhabit coniferous and mixed forests across western North America, from Alaska to Central America. They prefer mature forests with open understories and forest edges, hunting from perches in trees around the forest edges.

In the United States, they are found in mountainous regions of the West, including the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada. Their range extends into southern British Columbia and Alberta in Canada.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 4,000 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subarctic

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Northern Pygmy-owl. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons