Eurasian pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum)

The Eurasian Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium passerinum) is the smallest owl species in Europe, but despite its size, it is a fierce and highly effective predator.

🔹 Physical Description:

• Size: 15–19 cm long, wingspan 32–39 cm.
• Weight: 50–70 g.
• Appearance:
  • Compact body with a short tail.
  • Brown plumage with white spots on the crown and upperparts.
  • Pale underparts streaked with brown.
  • Yellow eyes and beak.
  • False eyespots (dark patches) on the back of the head, thought to deter predators.

🔹 Habitat & Distribution:

• Found in northern and central Europe, across Russia, and into parts of Asia.
• Prefers coniferous and mixed forests, often in boreal zones and mountain woodlands.

🔹 Behavior:

• Diurnal: Unlike many owls, it hunts mainly at dawn and dusk, and sometimes in daylight.
• Diet: Small birds, mammals (especially voles), and large insects.
• Often caches surplus prey in tree cavities for later consumption.
• Call: A series of clear, whistled “tu-tu-tu” notes that carry far through the forest.

🔹 Breeding:

• Nests in old woodpecker holes or natural cavities.
• Lays 3–7 eggs in April–May.
• Female incubates, while the male hunts and feeds both her and the chicks.

🔹 Conservation:

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern.
• Declines in some areas due to logging and loss of old-growth forests with suitable nesting holes.
• In several European countries, nest boxes have been successfully used to support populations.

🌟 Fun Fact:

Though tiny, the Eurasian Pygmy Owl is known to take prey as large as itself — for example, small thrushes and woodpeckers — proving that size is no limit to hunting skill.

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