Fun Ferruginous Pygmy-owl Facts For Kids

The ferruginous pygmy-owl, Glaucidium brasilianum, is a tiny bird with a brown-black body and yellow eyespots. In addition, they have patches of dark feathers on the back of their head, which gives the impression of 'false eyes'. They have various sub-species, including the G.b. cactorum, popularly known as the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl. They are usually found in Arizona, Texas, and Mexico. They are monogamous birds and the young male and the young female owls, after forming a pair, mostly stay together. They breed during late winter to early spring, and the parents nest in cavities and holes of trees or cacti.

For more relatable content, check out these common swift facts and canyon wren facts for kids.

What type of animal is a ferruginous pygmy owl?

The ferruginous pygmy-owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) is the most commonly found pygmy-owl native to Central America, Texas, and South America. Some other types of owls are the great grey owl, burrowing owl, golden masked owl, and red owl.

What class of animal does a ferruginous pygmy owl belong to?

The ferruginous pygmy-owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) is a species of owl, and like all other birds, it belongs to the class Aves.

How many ferruginous pygmy owls are there in the world?

According to the What Bird resources, there are around 50 million ferruginous pygmy-owls (Glaucidium brasilianum) in the world.

Where does a ferruginous pygmy owl live?

Ferruginous pygmy owls live in a wide scope of semi-open woodland territories; they can be found in tropical and subtropical timberland, forest edges, riverine woodland, dry oak forests, bushy zones, Sonoran desert, and mesquite. The parents of this breed do their nesting in the holes and cavities of trees.

What is a ferruginous pygmy owl's habitat?

The ferruginous pygmy-owl habitat is mainly found in Southern Texas, Southern Arizona, Central Arizona, Mexico, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina. Ferruginous pygmy owl adaptations do not take place as such because they are not migratory in nature.

Who do ferruginous pygmy owls live with?

Pygmy owls are usually found alone or in pairs. They hardly form any group or association with others of their kind.

How long does a ferruginous pygmy owl live?

These small birds have a lifespan range of six to seven years which can be further extended to 9-10 years if fed with a proper diet and protected from diseases.

How do they reproduce?

These reddish-brown owls are monogamous in nature, and they form solid and long-lasting pairs. Their breeding process begins from pre-spring to late winter, and they do their nesting in pits of cactus or in the openings of other trees made by woodpeckers. The females lay one to seven white eggs in their nest and brood them for about 28 days, whereas the male brings food during this period. Both the parent owls take good care of the eggs. The young owlets fledge when they are 27-30 days old and become autonomous after about three weeks.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of this species of owl is of Least Concern as per the IUCN Red List. Their total population is estimated to be somewhere around 50 million. Still, their population is decreasing rapidly due to hunting and habitat loss. Because of this, they are soon going to enter the category of Endangered Species.

What do ferruginous pygmy owls look like?

Ferruginous pygmy owls, as their name suggests, are tiny birds that are stocky and have disproportionately large feet and claws. They are generally reddish-brown to dark brown in color with yellow eyespots. Their wing coverts have white spots, and their underparts have white streaks with uniform white and black-barred tails. The males and female owls are similar in appearance, with the females being slightly bigger and browner than the males.

How cute are they?

With their brown color, uniform tail, signature yellow eyes, and puny bodies, these owls are very cute in appearance.

How do they communicate?

These tiny birds, for the most part, become vocal around dawn and dusk. Their principle ferruginous pygmy-owl call is a whistled 'hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo'. It is extremely easy to imitate and is utilized by birdwatchers to draw in little birds.

How big is a ferruginous pygmy owl?

These birds are medium-sized birds with their length in the range of 5.9-7.0 in (15-18 cm), which is how tall they are, and their wingspan in the range of 14.5-16.1 in (37-41 cm). Their length is almost similar to that of an average snowy owl, whose length falls in the range of 20.7-25.2 in (52.5-64 cm) and whose wingspan falls in the range of 48-72 in (121.9-182.8 cm).

How fast can a ferruginous pygmy owl fly?

Information about their exact speed has yet not been calculated by the researchers, but it is estimated to be somewhere in the range of 30-50 mph (48-80 kph), which is the speed of an average owl.

How much does a ferruginous pygmy owl weigh?

The weight of this species of birds falls in the range of 0.13-0.16 lb (62-76 g), which is almost equal to the weight of the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl, which was an endangered sub-species of this owl and whose weight falls in the range of 0.13-0.14 lb (62-65 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

The males and females of this species do not have a specific name.

What would you call a baby ferruginous pygmy owl?

A baby owl is called an owlet, a chick, or a fledgling.

What do they eat?

Pygmy owls are carnivores, and they feed on a variety of insects, birds, mammals, and reptiles.

Are they dangerous?

They are not very dangerous in nature, and if not disturbed, they prefer to live a solitary life of peace and comfort.

Would they make a good pet?

They wouldn't make a good pet, and it is not advised to pet them as they are a carnivore species and are very difficult to tame. Also, imitating their habitat for their survival is a very difficult task which further makes them difficult to keep as a pet.

Did you know...

The smallest species of owl is the Northern saw wet owl, which is native to North America and is just 6.6-9 in (17-23 cm) long. Pygmy owls are also one of the smallest species of owls.

Who are the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl's predators?

The main predators of this species of owl are hawks, snakes, raccoons, and other big animals.

How does the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl survive in the desert?

The cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl has adapted itself according to the desert environment that it lives in. It hunts a prey twice its size and makes its nest where the vegetation is dense with more trees or in the foliage areas because these trees and vegetation shield it from its predators and provide cover for hunting.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our black cuckoo facts and Anna's hummingbird facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Ferruginous pygmy owl coloring pages.