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BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary


Glaucidium gnoma
Northern Pygmy-Owl

 
Scientific Name: Glaucidium gnoma Wagler, 1832
English Name: Northern Pygmy-Owl
 
Classification / Taxonomy
Scientific Name - Concept Reference: American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Classification Level: Species
Species Group: Vertebrate Animal
Species Code: B-NPOW
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
Animalia Craniata Aves Strigiformes Strigidae
   
Conservation Status / Legal Designation
Global Status: G4G5 (Apr 2016)
Provincial Status: S4B (Mar 2015)
BC List: Yellow
Provincial FRPA list:   
Provincial Wildlife Act:
COSEWIC Status:
SARA Schedule:
General Status Canada: 4 - Secure (2005)
Migratory Bird Convention Act:
   
Ecology & Life History
General Description:
Global Reproduction Comments: Few nests have been studied. Egg dates: in North America from early April to mid-June; peak in late April to late May (Holt and Petersen 2000). Clutch size reportedly is 2-7 in North America (Holt and Petersen 2000); mean size reported to be 5 (n = 6, Bent 1938) and 3.7 (n = 10, Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology nest record cards). Incubation, by female, lasts probably about 28 days (Holt and Norton 1986); male brings food. After 9 days of age, young are fed by both parents, leave nest at about 23 days (Holt and Norton 1986).
Global Ecology Comments: These owls tend to be solitary or in highly dispersed pairs or family groups throughout the year (Johnsgard 1988).

They are often mobbed, by a large number of bird species ranging from hummingbirds to jays--most of which are potential prey (Holt and Petersen 2000). Occasionally, mobbing individuals are attacked and killed (Holman 1926, R.J. Cannings pers. comm.).
Migration Characteristics:
(Global / Provincial)		 
    Nonmigrant:
    Local Migrant:
    Distant Migrant:
    Within Borders Migrant: 		Y /
Y /
N /
na /
Global Migration Comments: In mountainous regions, individuals may move to lower elevations for winter (Campbell et al. 1990, Holt and Kline 1989).

In California and Arizona, linear territories were about 1.6 kilometers long (Marshall 1957, Noble 1990). In Oregon, singing males were separated by approximately 600 meters (D. Sater pers. comm., cited in Holt and Petersen 2000). In Colorado, territory estimated to be about 75 hectares (Rashid 1999, cited in Holt and Petersen 2000). Home ranges of breeding males in Washington were 170-230 hectares (A. Giese, pers. comm., cited in Holt and Petersen 2000). Home ranges of male Eurasian Pygmy-Owls in Sweden averaged 231 hectares (Kullberg 1995). Eurasian Pygmy-Owl have been reported to have breeding territories 50 to 400 hectares in size (Cramp 1985).
Habitats:
(Type / Subtype / Dependence)
Global Habitat Comments: Habitat consist of forests or open woodlands in foothills and mountains, including adjacent meadows while foraging (AOU 1983). Specific nesting habitat is variable across the large range; pure and mixed species coniferous forests, mixed coniferous-deciduous riparian forests, aspen stands in pine forests, and highland pine and cloud forests (Honduras) (Holt and Petersen 2000). Generally this owl does not occur in unbroken dense forest. Nests are in abandoned woodpecker holes and natural tree cavities in snags and larger living trees.
Food Habits: Carnivore: Adult, Immature
Invertivore: Adult, Immature
Global Food Habits Comments: This species is an opportunistic predator with a wide trophic niche; it feeds primarily on small birds, small mammals, insects, and reptiles. Stomach contents recorded from museum collections indicated that females ate significantly more small mammals than males did (Earhart and Johnson 1970). In Montana, mean body mass of vertebrate prey (birds and mammals) was about 38 grams, or 61% and 52% of male and female body mass respectively (Holt and Leroux 1996). Winter diet in Montana consisted of 36% birds (Holt and Leroux 1996). Northern pygmy-owls glides/dive down from an elevated perch to capture prey. Food items may be cached.
Global Phenology: Crepuscular: Adult, Immature
Diurnal: Adult, Immature
Global Phenology Comments: Activity is chiefly diurnal; "hunts by day and into the evening" (Holt and Petersen 2000). Most vocalizations are at dawn and dusk (Noble 1990, Holt and Petersen 2000).
Provincial Phenology:
(1st half of month/
2nd half of month)
Colonial Breeder: N
Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): 17/ / 73
Elevation (m) (min / max): Global: 
Provincial: 
   
 
Distribution
Endemic: N
Global Range Comment: This species is resident from southeast Alaska, portions of northern British Columbia, and southwestern Alberta south through the western United States, interior Mexico, and Guatemala to Honduras, and east to Colorado, central New Mexico, and western Texas; also in Cape district of Baja California Sur, Mexico (AOU 1998, Holt and Petersen 2000).
 
Authors / Contributors
Global Information Author: Hammerson, G., and S. Cannings
Last Updated: Mar 19, 2009
Provincial Information Author:
Last Updated:
   
References and Related Literature
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Bent, A. C. 1938. Life histories of North American birds of prey. Part 2. U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 170. 482 pp., 92 pls.
Campbell, R. W., N. K. Dawe, I. McTaggart-Cowan, J. M. Cooper, G. W. Kaiser, and M. C. McNall. 1990b. The birds of British Columbia. Volume 2. Nonpasserines: diurnal birds of prey through woodpeckers. University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver, B.C. 636 pp.
Campbell, R.W., N.K. Dawe, I. McTaggart-Cowan, et al. 1990b. The Birds of British Columbia Vol. 2: Nonpasserines: Diurnal Birds of Prey through Woodpeckers. Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, BC.
Clark, R. J., D. G. Smith, and L. H. Kelso. 1978. Working bibliography of owls of the world. National Wildlife Federation, Sci. & Tech. Ser. No. 1. 336 pp.
Cramp, S., editor. 1985. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Vol. 4, terns to woodpeckers. Oxford University Press, Oxford, England.
Demarchi, M.W. and M.D. Bently. 2005. Best Management Practices for Raptor Conservation during Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia. B.C. Minist. of Environ., Victoria, B.C. MoE BMP Series.
Earhart, C. M. and N. K. Johnson. 1970. Size dimorphism and food habits of North American owls. Condor 72:251-264.
Eckert, Allan W. 1978. The Owls of North America. Weather-vane Books, New York. 278 pp.
Harrison, C. 1978. A Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds. Collins, Cleveland, Ohio.
Holman, F. C. 1926. Nesting of the California Pygmy Owl in Yosemite. condor 28:92-93.
Holt, D. W., and J. L. Petersen. 2000. Northern Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium gnoma). No. 494 IN A. Poole and F. Gill, eds. The birds of North America. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 24pp.
Holt, D. W., and L. A. Leroux. 1996. Diets of Northern Pygmy-Owls and Northern Saw-whet Owls in west-central Montana. Wilson Bulletin 108:123-128.
Holt, D. W., and R. Kline. 1989. Glaring gnome. Montana Outdoors 20:13-15.
Holt, D. W., and W. D. Norton. 1986. Observations on nesting Northern Pygmy-Owls. Journal of Raptor Research 20:39-41.
Howell, S. N. G., and S. Webb. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
Johnsgard, P. 1988. North American owls: biology and natural history. Smithsonian Inst. Press. 336 pp.
Kirk, D. A., D. Hussell, and E. Dunn. 1995. Raptor population status and trends in Canada. Bird Trends (Canadian Wildlife Service) 4:2-9.
Kullberg, C. 1995. Strategy of the Pygmy Owl while hunting avian and mammalian prey. Ornis Fenn. 72:72-78.
Marshall, J. T., Jr. 1957. Birds of pine-oak woodland in southern Arizona and adjacent Mexico. Pacific Coast Avifauna. No. 32. 125 pp.
National Geographic Society (NGS). 1983. Field guide to the birds of North America. National Geographic Society, Washington, DC.
Nicholls, T. H., and M. R. Fuller. 1987. Owl telemetry techniques. Pages 294-301 IN R.W. Nero, R.J. Clark, R.J. Knapton, and R.H. Hamre, editors. Biology and conservation of northern forest owls. USDA Forest Service, Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-142.
Noble, P. L. 1990. Distribution and density of owls at Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, Santa Clara County, California. Western Birds 21:11-16.
Pendleton, B. A. G., B. A. Millsap, K. W. Cline, and D. M. Bird. 1987. Raptor management techniques manual. National Wildlife Federation, Sci. and Tech. Ser. No. 10. 420 pp.
Rashid, S. 1999. Northern Pygmy Owls in Rocky Mountain National Park. Colorado Field Ornithol. 33:94-101.
Robbins, M.B., and F.G. Stiles. 1999. A new species of Pygmy-Owl (Strigidae: Glaucidium) from the Pacific slope of the northern Andes. Auk 116(2):305-315.
Ryser, F.A. 1985. Birds of the Great Basin a natural history. University of Nevada Press, Reno, NV.
Sibley, C.G., and B.L. Monroe, Jr. 1990. Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. xxiv + 1111 pp.
Smith, D.G. 1987b. Owl census techniques. Pages 304-307 in R.W. Nero, R.J. Clark, R.J. Knapton, and R.H. Hamre, editors. Biology and conservation of northern forest owls. USDA Forest Service, Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-142.
Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Voous, K. H., and A. Cameron. 1989. Owls of the Northern Hemisphere. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 320 pp.
Walker, L.W. 1974. The book of owls. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. New York. 255 pp.
 

Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.

Suggested Citation:

B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2009. Species Summary: Glaucidium gnoma. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Oct 3, 2026).