Gnomish pygmy owl
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Gnomish pygmy owl ( Glaucidium gnoma ) |
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| Glaucidium gnoma | ||||||||||
| Wagler , 1832 |
The gnome pygmy owl ( Glaucidium gnoma ) is a small species of pygmy owl . It occurs exclusively in North and Central America. Its independent species status is controversial. It is still seen by some authors as conspecific with the Rocky Mountains pygmy owl .
Appearance
The gnome pygmy owl reaches a height of 15 to 17 centimeters. Feather ears are missing. The body plumage is very variable. The different color variations range from dark brown to fox red individuals. The parting is finely speckled with white. There is a noticeable occipital face in the neck . The front chest is largely without color markings. There are diffuse longitudinal stripes on the rest of the underside of the body. The eyes are yellow.
Compared to the Rocky Mountains pygmy owl, the gnome pygmy owl has a shorter tail and more pointed wings. The Hoskins pygmy owl has clearly defined longitudinal stripes on the underside of the body. The ridgway pygmy owl has a striped and non-spotted crown. The Tamaulipas pygmy owl is smaller and has a significantly shorter tail.
Distribution area and habitat
The northern limit of distribution of the gnome pygmy owl is believed to be the extreme south of Arizona and New Mexico. Otherwise, the distribution area of the gnome pygmy owl extends from the highlands of northern and central Mexico to its southern border in Oaxaca . It is a resident bird and predominantly inhabits pine, pine-oak and moist pine forests, which are interspersed with evergreen deciduous trees. The height distribution ranges from 1,500 to 3,500 meters above sea level.
Way of life
The gnome pygmy owl is partly diurnal. However, it has its peak of activity at dusk. Its food spectrum consists mainly of insects and, to a lesser extent, small mammals, birds and reptiles. It breeds in tree hollows. The clutch consists of two to four white eggs. It is only the female that breeds and only starts the breeding business after the last egg of the clutch has been deposited. As with most other pygmy owls, the nestlings hatch almost synchronously.
supporting documents
Single receipts
literature
- Claus König , Friedhelm Weick: Owls of the World . Christopher Helm, London 2008, ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2
Web links
- Glaucidium gnoma inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2013.