Northern Pygmy Owl

As its name suggests, the Northern Pygmy Owl is Canada’s smallest owl, about the size of a pop can and weighs only 70 grams. But despite their small size, they are quite fierce, and will attack prey several times their own size. There are even cases where pygmy owls have killed domestic chickens. 


This tiny owl is active during the day. They prefer the edges of open coniferous forest or mixed woodlands and they regularly perch on tops of trees - so that is a good place to look for them. In a few months they will be “hooting” their high-pitched too-too-too territorial call and by April they will have sought out an old woodpecker cavities for nesting.

Posted on December 24, 2019 04:04 PM by larryhalverson