Little Owl
Athene noctua
The Little Owl (Athene noctua) is a common owl found in 74 countries, weighing about 169 g. The little owl, also known as the owl of Athena or owl of Minerva, is a bird that inhabits much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, the Palearctic east to Korea, and North Africa.
About the Little Owl
The little owl, also known as the owl of Athena or owl of Minerva, is a bird that inhabits much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, the Palearctic east to Korea, and North Africa. It was introduced into Britain at the end of the 19th century and into the South Island of New Zealand in the early 20th century.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The little owl is a small owl with a flat-topped head, a plump, compact body and a short tail. The facial disc is flattened above the eyes giving the bird a frowning expression. The plumage is greyish-brown, spotted, streaked and barred with white. The underparts are pale and streaked with darker colour. It is usually 22 cm (8.7 in) in length with a wingspan of 56 cm (22 in) for both sexes, and weighs about 180 g (6.3 oz). The adult little owl of the most widespread form, the nominate A. n. noctua, is white-speckled brown above, and brown-streaked white below.
What the Little Owl sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Mauritania, North Korea.
When to see it
The Little Owl can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Watch the Little Owl on live cams
Browse all 118 bird cams worldwide, live and seasonal, by region and species.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Little Owl?
- The little owl is a small owl with a flat-topped head, a plump, compact body and a short tail. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Little Owl?
- The Little Owl is a medium sized bird weighing about 169 g.
- Where can you see a Little Owl?
- The Little Owl occurs in 74 countries, including France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
- What does a Little Owl sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Little Owl on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Little Owl?
- The Little Owl is most easily confused with the Burrowing Owl, the Spotted Owlet and the Guadalcanal Owl.
- Is the Little Owl endangered?
- The Little Owl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Little Owl for real
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