Birds of the World

    STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae (Owls)  
Genus: Glaucidium (29 species)

Genus Glaucidium, Pygmy Owls, are tiny owls, around 15 cm., which can be active day or night. All Pygmy Owls are usually being mobbed by small birds and hummingbirds.


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Albertine Owlet (Glaucidium albertinum) Near Threatened
Range: AF: ne Congo and n Rwanda
 



Yungas Pygmy Owl
Yungas Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium bolivianum)
Range: SA: Peru to nw Argentina
Wayqecha, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

The Yungas Pygmy Owl was split from the Andean Pygmy Owl some time ago. Note heavy spotting and white throat, and false eyes on back like Andean.

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum)
Range: NA, MA, SA: widespread
Barquisimeto, Venezuela
  Brown morph.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum medianum)
Range: NA, MA, SA: widespread
Los Flamencos Wildlife Sanctuary, Camarones, La Guajira, Colombia
  Grey morph.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum)
Range: NA, MA, SA: widespread
Costa Rica
  Rufous morph
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

With different shades of brown, rufous and grey across its large range.

Northern Pygmy Owl
Northern Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium californicum)
Range: NA, MA: w NA from se Alaska to n Mexico
Washington State, United States  
   
Photograph by Mick Thompson/Eastside Audubon     Copyright and usage info


African Barred Owlet
African Barred Owlet (Glaucidium capense capense)
Range: AF: se, sc, w
Kruger National Park, South Africa  
 
Photograph by Bernie DUPONT     Copyright and usage info


Javan Owlet
Javan Owlet (Glaucidium castanopterum)
Range: OR: Java and Bali
Carita, Indonesia  
 
Photograph by Francesco Veronesi     Copyright and usage info


Chestnut-backed Owlet
Chestnut-backed Owlet (Glaucidium castanotum) Near Threatened
Range: OR: Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka  
 
Photograph by Daniel Koh (Singapore)   © All Rights Reserved.


Guatemalan Pygmy Owl
Guatemalan Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium cobanense)
Range: MA: s Mexico to Guatemala and Honduras
Honduras  
   
Photograph by John van Dort   © All Rights Reserved.

Split from Northern Pygmy Owl. Comes in rufous and brown morph.

Costa Rican Pygmy Owl
Costa Rican Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium costaricanum)
Range: MA: Costa Rica and Panama
Costa Rica
  This may be an immature. Immatures of other Pygmy Owls are less spotted.
   
Photograph by Jorge Obando Gutierrez   © Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved.

Costa Rican Pygmy Owl
Costa Rican Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium costaricanum)
Range: MA: Costa Rica and Panama
Costa Rica  
   
Photograph by Jorge Obando Gutierrez   © Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved.

A small heavily spotted Pygmy Owl found at higher altitudes (over 1000m) than other Pygmy Owls. Crown spotted and not streaked as on Ferruginous Pygmy Owl.

Asian Barred Owlet
Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium cuculoides)
Range: OR: Himalayas to se Asia
Mae Wong National Park, Nakhon Sawan, Thailand  
 
Photograph by JJ Harrison     Copyright and usage info


Mountain Pygmy Owl
Mountain Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium gnoma)
Range: NA, MA: sw Arizona (USA) to c Mexico
La Cumbre, Oaxaca, Mexico  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.


Central American Pygmy Owl
Central American Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium griseiceps)
Range: MA, SA: s Mexico to w Colombia and nw Ecuador
Laguna Lagarto Lodge, Boca Tapada, Costa Rica
  Note brown-grey head color vs. other Pygmy Owls.
   
Photograph by Jorge Obando Gutierrez   © Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved.


Amazonian Pygmy Owl
Amazonian Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium hardyi)
Range: SA: Amazonia
Brazil  
   
Photograph by Philip Stouffer   © All Rights Reserved.

A tiny owl even for a pygmy owl, that is heard much more than seen. Note greyish head.
Additional photo.

Baja Pygmy Owl
Baja Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium hoskinsii)
Range: MA: Baja California (Mexico)
San Antonio de la Sierra, Baja California Sur, Mexico  
   
Photograph by Nigel Voaden   © All Rights Reserved.

Split from Northern Pygmy Owl. A bit smaller.

Andean Pygmy Owl
Andean Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium jardinii)
Range: SA: w Venezuela to c Peru
Tatama National Park, Pueblo Rico, Risaralda, Colombia
  Comes in brown and rufous.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Andean Pygmy Owl
Andean Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium jardinii)
Range: SA: w Venezuela to c Peru
Tatama National Park, Pueblo Rico, Risaralda, Colombia
  Fake eyes on back of head to scare predators.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


East Brazilian Pygmy Owl
East Brazilian Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium minutissimum)
Range: SA: se Brazil and e Paraguay
Vale Reserve, EspĂ­rito Santo, Brazil  
   
Photograph by Brendan Ryan     Copyright and usage info

Also called the Least Pygmy Owl because of its small size. Found inside the forest and often at higher altitudes than the slightly larger Ferruginous Pygmy Owl.

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Pernambuco Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium mooreorum) Critically Endangered
Range: SA: e Brazil
   



Austral Pygmy Owl
Austral Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium nana)
Range: SA: Southern Cone
Argentina  
   
Photograph by Dominic Sherony     Copyright and usage info


Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl
Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium nubicola) Vulnerable
Range: SA: Colombia and Ecuador
ProAves Tangaras Reserve, El Carmen de Atrato, Choco, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Found in a narrow and wet altitude range around 1500m on the western Andean slope. Brown with spotted head (immature unspotted).
Believed to be an unspotted immature.

Colima Pygmy Owl
Colima Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium palmarum)
Range: MA: w Mexico
Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.

Colima Pygmy Owl
Colima Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium palmarum)
Range: MA: w Mexico
PN Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico  
   
Photograph by Matt Grube   © All Rights Reserved.


Subtropical Pygmy Owl
Subtropical Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium parkeri)
Range: SA: Ecuador to Bolivia
Pantiacolla Ridge, Madre de Dios, Peru  
   
Photograph by Graham Montgomery   © All Rights Reserved.


Eurasian Pygmy Owl
Eurasian Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium passerinum passerinum)
Range: PAL: widespread
Oulo, Finland  
 
Photograph by Francesco Veronesi     Copyright and usage info


Pearl-spotted Owlet
Pearl-spotted Owlet (Glaucidium perlatum perlatum)
Range: AF: widespread
Amdilai Lodge, The Gambia  
 
Photograph by Steve Riall   © All Rights Reserved.


Pacific Pygmy Owl
Pacific Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium peruanum)
Range: SA: w Ecuador and Peru
Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Stephen G. Davis   © All Rights Reserved.

Split from Ferruginous Pygmy Owl because of vocal differences. Found in dry scrub.

Jungle Owlet
Jungle Owlet (Glaucidium radiatum)
Range: OR: India
Thattekad, India  
 
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Tamaulipas Pygmy Owl
Tamaulipas Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium sanchezi) Near Threatened
Range: MA: ne Mexico
El Cielo BR, Tamaulipas, Mexico  
   
Photograph by Amy McAndrews     Copyright and usage info


Cuban Pygmy Owl
Cuban Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium siju siju)
Range: NA: Cuba
Cuba  
   
Photograph by Allan Hopkins     Copyright and usage info


Sjoestedt's Barred Owlet
Sjoestedt's Barred Owlet (Glaucidium sjostedti)
Range: AF: Cameroon to DR Congo and Gabon
Loango National Park, Akaka, Gabon  
 
Photograph by Nik Borrow     Copyright and usage info


Red-chested Owlet
Red-chested Owlet (Glaucidium tephronotum tephronotum)
Range: AF: w, c
Ankasa Conservation Area, Ghana  
 
Photograph by Nik Borrow     Copyright and usage info



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