Members of the genus Glaucidium are very small and tiny owls. They have rounded heads without ear-tufts. Their eyes are yellow. In many species the talons are, in relation to their size, very powerful. The facial disc is not very distinct. Some species have a large dark patch with a pale border on each side of the nape of the neck, looking like false eyes. Many are partly diurnal and sing from exposed perches. These are mostly very tenacious in the hunt, and show little fear, even of approaching humans. Glaucidium is a worldwide genus, containing some 30 species. Most of the Asian species, and some of the African species show physical and behavioural differences that suggest they might be better placed in Athene, and DNA evidence suggests that there is only a distant relationship between the Old World Pygmy Owls and those of the New World.
Physical charateristics
A distinctive species characterized by its dark gray-brown to brown crown, nape, and upperparts with extensive whitish head spotting, bold white spots on the scapulars, and contrasting white spots and
bars on the wings; its tail has five white bars
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
wingspan min.:
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cm
wingspan max.:
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size min.:
13
cm
size max.:
14
cm
incubation min.:
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days
incubation max.:
0
days
fledging min.:
0
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fledging max.:
0
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broods:
0
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Range
South America : Ecuador to Bolivia. known from 1450-1975 m elevation on outlying ridges of the east slope of the Andes of Ecuador and Peru, and it may well occur also in southeastern Colombia
Habitat
It occurs in subtropical evergreen forest
Reproduction
No data
Feeding habits
It inhabits the subcanopy and presumably feeds on insects, small reptiles and birds though its basic natural history is poorly known
Conservation
Although this species may have a restricted range, it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats
