Colima pygmy owl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Colima pygmy owl |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Strigidae |
| Genus: | Glaucidium |
| Species: |
G. palmarum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Glaucidium palmarum Nelson, 1901
|
|
 |
|
| Distribution of Colima pygmy owl Resident | |
| Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist. | |
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
The Colima pygmy owl (Glaucidium palmarum) is a small type of owl. It belongs to the Strigidae family, which includes most owls. This special owl lives only in the western part of Mexico.
Contents
About the Colima Pygmy Owl
What's in a Name?
Scientists often group animals based on their features. The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) sees the Colima pygmy owl as one single type. However, other groups, like the Clements taxonomy, think there are three slightly different kinds, or "subspecies," of this owl. These are Glaucidium palmarum palmarum, G. p. oberholseri, and G. p. griscomi.
What Does It Look Like?
The Colima pygmy owl is quite small, usually about 13 to 15 centimeters (5 to 6 inches) long. That's about the size of a small soda can! Male owls weigh around 43 to 48 grams (1.5 to 1.7 ounces). Female owls are a bit heavier, but we don't have exact numbers for them.
Its head and back are brown. Its wings are mostly grayish-brown, and its tail is a darker grayish-brown. You might notice small, dull white spots on its head. When its wings are folded, you can see white spots along them. The tail has oval white spots that look like bands.
Around its eyes, it has dull white "eyebrows." On the back of its neck, there are two dark spots that look like extra eyes. This might help confuse predators! Its belly and chest are buffy white with wide cinnamon-colored stripes.
Where Does It Live?
The Colima pygmy owl lives in western Mexico. Its home stretches from central Sonora all the way south to Oaxaca. It can be found from sea level up to about 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) high.
This owl likes many different kinds of places. It lives in thorn forests, tropical deciduous forests (where trees lose their leaves), and lowland tropical evergreen forests. It also lives in the lower parts of humid montane forests, which are forests in mountains. Sometimes, you can even find them in coffee plantations!
How Does It Behave?
Hunting for Food
The Colima pygmy owl is mostly active at night, which is called nocturnal. But it also hunts during the day! It usually looks for food in the middle parts of the forest trees. We don't know a lot about what it eats, but scientists think it mainly eats large arthropods (like insects and spiders) and small animals.
Raising a Family
We don't know much about how the Colima pygmy owl raises its young. Scientists believe that a male and female owl stay together to raise their family. They probably make their nests inside holes in trees.
What Does It Sound Like?
The Colima pygmy owl has a unique song. It makes a "hollow hooting" sound. The number of hoots can change, and it often hoots more and more as it sings. Sometimes, it can hoot up to 24 times or even more in a row!
Is It in Danger?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has looked at the Colima pygmy owl. They have listed it as a species of "Least Concern." This means that it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
Even though we don't know exactly how many Colima pygmy owls there are, they seem to be quite common in the large area where they live. Their numbers also appear to be stable, which is good news for this little owl!
 | Chris Smalls |
 | Fred Hampton |
 | Ralph Abernathy |
