Central American pygmy owl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Central American pygmy owl |
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| G. griseiceps (right) | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Glaucidium
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| Species: |
griseiceps
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| Distribution of Central American pygmy owl Resident | |
The Central American pygmy owl (Glaucidium griseiceps) is a small type of owl. It belongs to the Strigidae family, which includes many well-known owls. You can find this owl in several countries in Central and South America, including Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.
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How Scientists Classify This Owl
Scientists often group living things based on their features. This is called taxonomy. For the Central American pygmy owl, most scientists agree it is a single species. However, some groups, like the Clements taxonomy, believe there are three slightly different types, or "subspecies," of this owl. These are Glaucidium griseiceps, G. g. occultum, and G. g. rarum.
What Does This Owl Look Like?
The Central American pygmy owl is quite small, usually about 13 to 18 centimeters (5 to 7 inches) long. To give you an idea, that's roughly the length of a common pencil! Male owls weigh around 50 to 59 grams (about 1.8 to 2.1 ounces), and females are a bit heavier, weighing about 56 grams (2 ounces).
Adult owls have grayish-brown feathers on their head and neck. Their head has light spots, and the back of their neck has dark markings that look like "false eyes." These false eyes might help to confuse predators. The rest of their upper body and tail are a rich brown color, with pale stripes on the tail. Their belly is whitish with reddish-brown streaks. Young owls have a gray head and neck, but their head doesn't have spots, and their false eyes are darker.
Where Does This Owl Live?
The Central American pygmy owl lives in a wide area, from southern Mexico all the way through Central America to northwestern Colombia. There's a small gap in central Nicaragua where they are not found. You can also find a separate group of these owls in far northwestern Ecuador.
These owls prefer to live in humid tropical evergreen forests. They also live in forests that are regrowing after being cut down, in partly open areas, and even in older cacao plantations. They can be found from sea level up to about 1,300 meters (4,300 feet) high in some places. In Ecuador, they are only found between 200 and 600 meters (650 to 2,000 feet) above sea level.
Owl Behavior
What Do Pygmy Owls Eat?
Even though most owls hunt at night, the Central American pygmy owl often hunts during the day too! We don't know everything about what they eat, but scientists think their diet includes large insects, other small creatures without backbones, and small lizards, birds, and mammals.
How Do Pygmy Owls Raise Their Young?
Scientists don't know much about how these owls breed. However, it has been reported that they lay about two to four eggs in April and May. They like to make their nests in natural holes in trees or in old holes made by woodpeckers.
What Does This Owl Sound Like?
The Central American pygmy owl has a unique song. It usually starts with two to four hoots that are spaced out evenly. Then, after a very short pause, it makes a series of 6 to 18 similar notes, which sound like "huu-huu, huu-huu-huu...". Sometimes, you might hear some trills before the main song begins.
Is This Owl in Danger?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has looked at the Central American pygmy owl's population. They have assessed it as being of "Least Concern". This means that the owl's population is not currently considered to be in danger of disappearing. While the exact number of these owls is not known, scientists believe their population is stable.
Additional Reading
- König, Claus y Friedhelm Weick: Owls of the World. Christopher Helm, London 2008, ISBN: 978-0-7136-6548-2
