The Pygmy Owls are members of the genus Glaucidium. Several of these species are commonly referred to as “owlets.”
Species
- African Barred Owlet, Glaucidium capense
- Albertine Owlet, Glaucidium albertinum
- Amazonian Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium hardyi
- Andean Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium jardinii
- Asian Barred Owlet, Glaucidium cuculoides
- Austral Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium nanum
- Cape Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium hoskinsii
- Central American Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium griseiceps
- Chestnut-backed Owlet, Glaucidium castanonotum
- Chestnut Owlet, Glaucidium castaneum
- Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium nubicola
- Colima Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium palmarum
- Collared Owlet, Glaucidium brodiei
- Costa Rican Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium costaricanum
- Cuban Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium siju
- Eurasian Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium passerinum
- Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium brasilianum
- Guatemalan Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium cobanense
- Javan Owlet, Glaucidium castanopterum
- Jungle Owlet, Glaucidium radiatum
- Least Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium minutissimum
- Mountain Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium gnoma
- Northern Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium californicum
- Pearl-spotted Owlet, Glaucidium perlatum
- Pernambuco pygmy-owl, Glaucidium mooreorum
- Peruvian Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium peruanum
- Red-chested Owlet, Glaucidium tephronotum
- Sjostedt’s Owlet, Glaucidium sjostedti
- Subtropical Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium parkeri
- Tamaulipas Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium sanchezi
- Tucuman Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium tucumanum
- Yungas Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium bolivianum
Diet / Feeding
Pygmy Owls mostly feed on insects (moths, spiders, grasshoppers, beetles, locusts, mantids, fly larvae, cicadas and centipedes), and occasional small rodents, birds and lizards.
Description
Pygmy Owls are the smallest owls in the world – the size varying by species.
Nesting / Breeding
Pygmy Owls are cavity nesters, often taken advantage of existing tree cavities – often excavated by other cavity-nesting birds / animals.
More Owl Information
- Owl Information
- Index of Owl Species with Pictures
- Owl Eyes / Vision Adaptations
- Pygmy Owls
- Barn Owls
- Horned Owls
- Scops Owls
