Glaucidium brasilianum
ferruginous pygmy owl
(Also: ferruginous pygmy-owl)

Ferruginous pygmy owls are non-migratory and are found in the southwestern United States, Central America, and South America. (Proudfoot and Johnson, 2000)

Ferruginous pygmy-owls live in a variety of habitats throughout the Americas. They are found in cold temperate lowlands, subtropical, and tropical areas. They can be found in habitats ranging from deserts to rainforests. ("Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl", 2003; "Environment", 1998; Proudfoot and Johnson, 2000; Rainforest Conservation Fund, 2003)

Glaucidium brasilianum are very small and reach a size of only about 6 inches tall. They have round heads with black eyespots on the back, no ear tufts, and yellowish eyes. Adults often have white eyebrows, and white streaks on their heads. The body of the owl is reddish-brown in color with white streaks. The long tail is also reddish-brown. Their wings often have white streaks as well. The underparts are white. Males and females look very similiar to one another, but the females are slightly larger and more reddish in coloration. Juveniles look like adults, but their heads are often grayer and their eye spots lighter. Ferruginous pygmy-owls are similar to northern pygmy-owls, Glaucidium gnoma , but northern pygmy-owls are spotted rather than streaked, have whiter tails, and different vocalizations. ("Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Biology", 2003; Proudfoot and Johnson, 2000; Rainforest Conservation Fund, 2003)

There is little information to be found on the lifespan of ferruginous pygmy-owls.

These owls are most active near dawn and dusk. They are either solitary or in pairs for mating purposes. In order to move within trees, they walk and hop from branch to branch. They also rapidly beat their wings in order to make short, direct flights. Ferruginous pygmy-owls perch in trees similarly to other owls, with their tails straight downward. Allopreening is done between paired adults, fledglings, and nestlings. ("Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl", 2003; Proudfoot and Johnson, 2000)

Home Range

Little to no information is available.

Ferruginous pygmy-owls can be heard calling more frequently around sunrise and sunset. Sounds that they make include whistled hoot and took noises, and high yelping twitters. Male calls are lower in tone than females. Males give territorial-advertisement calls and females vocalize through chitters. ("Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl", 2003; Proudfoot and Johnson, 2000)

Glaucidium brasilianum are opportunistic predators with diverse diets. They feed mostly on insects, but also on birds, reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals. They are diurnal and feed mostly during sunrise and sunset. In order to kill birds and some lizards the ferruginous pygmy-owl bites just behind their prey's head, while other lizards are swallowed whole. Insects are usually decapitated and only the soft body parts of them are eaten. Mammals are eaten piece by piece. Specific examples of what these owls feed on inlude grasshoppers and crickets(Orthoptera), scorpions (Arachnida), six lined race runners (Cnemidophorus sexlineanius), four-lined skinks (Eumeces tetragrammus), and Texas spotted whiptails (Cnemidophorus gularis). (Proudfoot and Beasom, 1997; Proudfoot and Johnson, 2000)

In response to predators such as hawks, owls, snakes, and raccoons, ferruginous pygmy-owls either go into a vertical position and move their tail back and forth, or maintain an errect position with feathers close to their body. Nestlings sometimes spread out their wings and puff themselves up. (Proudfoot and Johnson, 2000)

These owls are predators of a variety of species that share the same habitat. (Proudfoot and Beasom, 1997)

Because of their small population size, the land that these owls live on is protected from development and construction of new houses and buildings through the Endangered Species Act. (Jehl and March, 17 2003)

There are no known benefits that ferruginous pygmy-owls provide to humans.

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