Colima Pygmy Owl

Glaucidium palmarum

Owls · Strigiformes · Rare

The Colima Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium palmarum) is a rare owl found only in Mexico, weighing about 46 g. The Colima pygmy owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae.

Least ConcernRareEndemicEats omnivoreforestcavity nest46 g

About the Colima Pygmy Owl

The Colima pygmy owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the western part of Mexico.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The Colima pygmy owl is 13 to 15 cm (5.1 to 5.9 in) long. Male specimens weigh 43 to 48 g (1.5 to 1.7 oz) and females are noted as heavier without quantification. The head and back are brown, the wings mostly grayish brown, and the tail a deeper grayish brown. The head has small dull white spots. White spots show along the closed wing and the tail has oval white spots forming bands across it. The face has dull white "eyebrows" and the nape has a pair of dark "eye spots". The underparts are buffy white with wide cinnamon stripes. Voice: The Colima pygmy owl's song is a "hollow hooting ... with variable, often increasing, number of notes... up to 24 notes (or more?) in series."

What the Colima Pygmy Owl sounds like

Recording: Diego_Barrales · CC BY 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Where it lives

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, April, May, October, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Colima Pygmy Owl?
The Colima pygmy owl is 13 to 15 cm (5.1 to 5.9 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Colima Pygmy Owl?
The Colima Pygmy Owl is a small sized bird weighing about 46 g.
Where can you see a Colima Pygmy Owl?
The Colima Pygmy Owl is endemic to Mexico, which is the only country where it occurs.
What does a Colima Pygmy Owl sound like?
You can listen to a field recording of the Colima Pygmy Owl on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
What birds look similar to a Colima Pygmy Owl?
The Colima Pygmy Owl is most easily confused with the Andean Pygmy Owl, the Central American Pygmy Owl and the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl.
Is the Colima Pygmy Owl endangered?
The Colima Pygmy Owl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Colima Pygmy Owl for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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