Northern Pygmy-Owl

Northern Pygmy-Owl

(Glaucidium gnoma)

  • Size: 6.3-7.1" long // 2.1-2.5 oz
  • Diet: small birds, hummingbirds, chickadees, warblers, and sparrows, as well as small mammals, shrews, moles, and chipmunks
  • Seasonal Habits: Non Migratory
  • Temperament: Not Aggressive

The Northern Pygmy-Owl may be tiny, but it's a ferocious hunter with a taste for songbirds. These owls are mostly dark brown and white, with long tails, smoothly rounded heads, and piercing yellow eyes. They hunt during the day by sitting quietly and surprising their prey. As a defensive measure, songbirds often gather to mob sitting owls until they fly away. Mobbing songbirds can help you find these unobtrusive owls, as can listening for their call, a high-pitched series of toots.