Amazonian Pygmy Owl

The Amazonian pygmy owl (Glaucidium hardyi) is an owl found in northern South America and northern Brazil, in the center of the Amazon Basin, and in Venezuela and the Guianas. In the southwest of the basin bordering the Andes cordillera, the species is found in Peru, and Bolivia. In the Guyanas, the range is bifurcated, as the species is not found in the middle country of Suriname. The Amazonian pygmy owl can be found in Amazonia in regions of Brazil and Peru. They are diurnal, active during the day, but unlike other pygmy owls that are found in low woodlands, the Amazonia Pygmy- Owl occupies the canopy of the forest. Since they are in the canopy, they are rarely observed. While they are difficult to spot, they can be heard more easily with their short trill. An almost whistle-like high pitched noise that does not typically sound like an ordinary owl. The Amazonian pygmy owl are very small, which is indicated by its name “glaucidium”, meaning little owl. They have a large round head that is spotted with black marks, falsely looking like eyes. They are a gray-brown color spotted with very small white dots. They measure on average 14 cm in length, and are typically between 50-60 grams in weight. Not much is known about their behavior but they are said to feed on large arthropods and small vertebrates. They are typically solitary and will spend hours of their time perched quietly on a tree. For breeding purposes, they are presumably socially monogamous. The Amazonian pygmy owl is fairly widespread in the area but at a continental scale, they are fairly uncommon. There was a said decline in species number however there is no official species count anywhere to date and the decline was determined as minuscule. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has marked this species as least concern, meaning they are not threatened or dependent on conservation. Residing in the upper forest there is little data on their breeding, lifespan, population regulation, and other aspects.