Birds · Strigiformes · Strigidae

Elf Owl

Micrathene whitneyi

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The elf owl is the smallest owl in the world: barely thirteen centimetres and some forty grams, the size of a sparrow. It nests in the holes woodpeckers excavate in saguaro cacti, whose flesh heals over to form a chamber insulated from the desert heat. It is migratory and feeds almost exclusively on large insects, scorpions and spiders.

Weight

35 g – 55 g

Size

12 cm – 14 cm

Lifespan

6 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

DesertMountainInsectivore Nocturnal In pairs Bird Desert Mountain

3countries 12parks18same family

Fun facts

anatomíaIt is one of the smallest owls in the world and usually nests in holes cut by woodpeckers in the great saguaro cacti of the Sonoran Desert.
It is the smallest owl in the world: it weighs the same as two coins and fits in the palm of a hand.
It depends on woodpeckers and on saguaros: the woodpeckers excavate the cavity, the cactus heals it over into an insulating chamber known as a saguaro boot, and the owl moves in years later.
It eats scorpions after tearing off the sting, along with spiders and large moths: it is one of the few essentially insectivorous owls in the world.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Saguaro desert and montane oak woodland of the south-western United States and Mexico
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 24 days
Litter / clutch size: 2

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micrathene_whitneyi