Northern Pygmy-Owl

Northern Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium gnoma) is in the Typical Owls family (Strigidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,293 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in January.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Northern Pygmy-Owl: observations by month (U.S.)

About Northern Pygmy-Owl

The mountain pygmy owl (Glaucidium gnoma) is a small owl from Central America. It is considered a distinct species by some authorities, including the International Ornithologists' Union. Others, including the American Ornithological Society, consider to be a subspecies of northern pygmy owl. If considered conspecific, the scientific name G. gnoma is usurped by the northern pygmy owl.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Northern Pygmy-Owl by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Typical Owls)

Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus

Barred OwlStrix varia

Eastern Screech-OwlMegascops asio

Burrowing OwlAthene cunicularia

Western Screech-OwlMegascops kennicottii

Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus

Snowy OwlBubo scandiacus

Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ