Cape Pygmy Owl

Facts about Cape Pygmy Owl. The Cape Pygmy Owl is an owl genus that comes from the Glaucidium genus of the Strigidae family. "Scientific name for owl is Glaucidium gnoma hoskinsii". Cape Pygmy Owl is a sub variety owl of the Northern Pygmy Owl. The Cape Pygmy Owl breed is limited to the Baja California Sur State in Mexico and so, it also called as the Baja Pygmy Owl. The Cape Pygmy Owls prefer to live in Pine and pine-oak woodland at an elevation of 4950 feet to 6930 feet (1500 meters to 2100 meters) above sea level. Cape Pygmy Owls may migrate to deciduous forest at lower elevations of 1650 feet (500 meters) above sea level during the winter season. Even though some taxonomists believe it to be a separate species, several authorities do not believe it separate.

Features of Cape Pygmy Owl

The Cape Pygmy Owl is a tiny bird that has a body length that ranges from 6 inches to 6.8 inches (15 to 17 cm), with a wing length between 3 3/8 inches and 3 7/16 inches (8.6 cm and 8.9 cm). The length of the tail of the Cape Pygmy Owls varies from 2 3/8 inches to 2 7/16 inches (6.1 cm to 6.6 cm). Though the female Cape Pygmy Owls are heavier than the male ones, both genders of these owls are so frivolous and they have a body weight between 50 grams and 65 grams (1.7 to 2.3 ounces).

The Cape Pygmy Owl is one of the smallest owls in its genus, and it has a round head and has no ear-tufts. The facial disc of the Cape Pygmy Owl is similar to that of other Pygmy Owls in its family. The Cape Pygmy Owl has yellow color eyes, bordered by black-colored eyelids. The eyebrows of this bird are white in color and it has a light green-grey color cere and a greenish-yellow bill. The Crown of the Cape Pygmy Owl has fine white colored dots, and its nape contains two big black-colored or dark brown colored spots, with a white border above and light buff below.

The upperparts of the Cape Pygmy Owl are sandy grey-tan in color, with a reddish shade, which is more famous in female owls. The back and the mantle of the bird have white colored uneven marks, whereas its scapulars have light buff spots. The flight feathers of the Cape Pygmy Owl breed are barred, pale and dark, whereas the tail feathers are dark brown in color, usually with six partial narrow white color bars not touching the middle shaft of the feathers.

The underparts of the Cape Pygmy Owl are off-white, with prominent white-brown color marks and lines. The sides of the Cape Pygmy Owl’s upper breast and components of the flanks have gray-brown color marks. The remaining parts of the underparts of the bird are thickly streaked dusky. Its Tarsi are covered with feathers and they have bristled yellow-grey colored toes, with dark horn claws with darker tips.

The song of the male Cape Pygmy Owl is a series of evenly-spaced short, solitary notes that are fairly higher pitched than that of other owls in its genus, and with a descending-modulation towards the end. The gaps between the notes are approximately one second. This song is regularly preceded by an unsteady song.

Diet of Cape Pygmy Owl

The Cape Pygmy Owl mostly feeds on small creatures, small birds, insects, reptiles and other arthropods.