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
It is brown above, head with spotted crown, White eyebrow. Back spotted with buff and wings white and buff barred. Underparts mostly white, with hint of a brown bar across chest. Breast and belly sides barred and short streaks brown. Tail dark with four narrow white bars. Grey, rufous and brown morphs.
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
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size min.:
16
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size max.:
17
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incubation min.:
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Range
South America : Peru to Northwest Argentina
Habitat
Montane forest with preference for moss and epiphytes.
Reproduction
Nest in old Woodpecker hole, no further data.
Feeding habits
Mainly insects and small mammals and reptiles.Hunts both night and day.
Video Yungas Pygmy Owl
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5353D34zsI
copyright: Virgilio Yabar Calderon
Conservation
This species has a very large range, and hence does not 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). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to 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.
