Palm dwarf owl

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Palm dwarf owl
Colima pygmy owl

Colima pygmy owl

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Owls (Strigiformes)
Family : Real owls (Strigidae)
Genre : Pygmy Owl ( Glaucidium )
Type : Palm dwarf owl
Scientific name
Glaucidium palmarum
Nelson , 1901

The palm pygmy owl ( Glaucidium palmarum ) or Colima pygmy owl is a small species of pygmy owl . The barely hand-length large owl occurs exclusively in North America.

Appearance

The palm dwarf owl reaches a body size of 13 to 15 centimeters. It is pale gray-brown to olive-brown on the upper side of the body. The skull is spotted whitish to yellowish. In the neck there is a conspicuous occipital face , as is characteristic of all pygmy owl species. The underside of the body is whitish with yellowish-brown to cinnamon-colored longitudinal stripes and brown spots on the sides of the chest. The eyes are yellow.

There are several other pygmy owl species in the distribution area of ​​the Palmenzwergkauz, with which it can be confused. The Sanchez dwarf owl is darker. In addition, only the front head and the sides of the head are dotted. The gnome pygmy owl is larger, like the Brazilian pygmy owl . The latter species also has a longer tail and is striped on the head. The owl lacks the occipital face and is finely speckled on the underside of the body.

Distribution area and habitat

The distribution area of ​​the palm dwarf owl extends in western Mexico along the Pacific coast. It stretches from the middle of Sonora to Oaxaca . It is a resident bird that inhabits dry tropical forests from sea level to altitudes of 1,500 meters above sea level.

Way of life

Like a number of other American pygmy owl species, the pygmy owl is partly diurnal. Its food spectrum consists of small birds, reptiles and other small vertebrates, as well as larger insects and other invertebrates. Nothing is known about the reproductive biology of this species.

Subspecies

According to the IOC World Bird List, the pygmy owl ( Glaucidium palmarum Nelson , 1901) is monotypical . For a long time, Glaucidium minutissimum oberholseri Moore, RT , 1937 and Glaucidium minutissimum griscomi Moore, RT , 1947 were considered subspecies. Today both are synonymous with the nominate form .

Etymology and history of research

The first description of the palm owl was in 1901 by Edward William Nelson under the scientific name Glaucidium palmarum . The type specimen was collected by him and Edward Alphonso Goldman in the Tepic military district . As early as 1832, Friedrich Boie introduced the genus Glaucidium, which was new to science . This name is derived from "glaux, glaukos γλαυξ, γλαυκος " for "owl". The actual name is the diminutive form and therefore means "little owl". The species name "palmarum" is of Latin origin and means "from the palm" from "palma" for "palm". "Oberholseri" is Harry Church Oberholser . dedicated to »griscomi«  Ludlow Griscom .

literature

  • Friedrich Boie: General overview of the ornithological orders, families and genera . In: Isis von Oken . tape 19 , 1826, pp. 969-981 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
  • James A. Jobling: Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm, London 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4 .
  • Claus König , Friedhelm Weick: Owls of the World . Christopher Helm, London 2008, ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2 .
  • Robert Thomas Moore: Two new owls from Sinaloa, Mexico . In: Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington . tape 50 , 1937, pp. 103-106 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
  • Robert Thomas Moore: New owls of the genera Otus and Glaucidium . In: Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington . tape 60 , 1947, pp. 31-35 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
  • Edward William Nelson: Description of a New Species of Wren from the Island of Tobago, West Indies . In: The Auk . tape 18 , no. 1 , 1901, p. 404 (English, sora.unm.edu [PDF; 163 kB ]).

Web link

Individual evidence

  1. a b König et al., P. 403
  2. ^ A b Edward William Nelson (1901), p. 174.
  3. ^ IOC World Bird List Owls
  4. a b Robert Thomas Moore (1937), p. 105.
  5. a b Robert Thomas Moore (1937), pp. 33-35.
  6. ^ Friedrich Boie (1832), p. 970.
  7. James A. Jobling, p. 391.
  8. James A. Jobling, p. 289.

Remarks

  1. Boie categorized the Australian pygmy owl ( Glaucidium nana ( King, PP , 1827)) and the pygmy owl ( Glaucidium passerinum ( Linnaeus , 1758)) in the new genus.