Elf Owl
An Elf Owl in a Palo Verde tree in Tucson, Arizona
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae Genus: Micrathene Coues, 1866 Species: M. whitneyi
Binomial name
Micrathene whitneyi (Cooper, 1861)

The Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi) is a member of the owl family Strigidae that breeds in the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is the smallest owl, being about the same size as a sparrow. The scientific name commemorates the American geologist Josiah Whitney. Image File history File links 2005-06-20,_Elf_Owl,_Cropped_very_small. ... This article is about the desert plant, for the city in California see Palo Verde, California, and for the power plant in Arizona, see Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. ... Nickname: Location in Pima County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country State Counties Pima Government  - Mayor Bob Walkup (R) Area  - City  195. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn3. ... Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... Families Strigidae Tytonidae Ogygoptyngidae (fossil) Palaeoglaucidae (fossil) Protostrigidae (fossil) Sophiornithidae (fossil) Synonyms Strigidae sensu Sibley & Ahlquist Owls are a group of birds of prey. ... Genera Aegolius: saw-whet owls Asio: eared owls Athene Bubo: horned owls Ciccaba Glaucidium: pygmy owls Jubula Ketupa Lophostrix Micrathene: elf owls Mimizuku Nesasio Ninox Otus: scops owls Pseudoscops Pulsatrix Pyrroglaux: palau owls Sceloglaux Scotopelia Speotyto Strix: earless owls Surnia: hawk owls Uroglaux Xenoglaux Typical owls (family Strigidae) are one... Elliott Coues Elliott Coues (September 9, 1842 - December 25, 1899) was an American army surgeon, historian, ornithologist and author. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... William Cooper (1798 - 1864) was an American conchologist and collector. ... Families Strigidae Tytonidae Ogygoptyngidae (fossil) Palaeoglaucidae (fossil) Protostrigidae (fossil) Sophiornithidae (fossil) Synonyms Strigidae sensu Sibley & Ahlquist Owls are a group of birds of prey. ... The hierarchy of scientific classification In biological classification, family (Latin: familia, plural familiae) is a rank, or a taxon in that rank. ... Genera Aegolius: saw-whet owls Asio: eared owls Athene Bubo: horned owls Ciccaba Glaucidium: pygmy owls Jubula Lophostrix Micrathene: elf owls Mimizuku Nesasio Ninox Otus: scops owls Pseudoscops Pulsatrix Pyrroglaux: palau owls Sceloglaux Scotopelia Speotyto Strix: earless owls Surnia: hawk owls Uroglaux Xenoglaux Typical owls (family Strigidae) are one of... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Genera Passer Petronia Carpospiza Montifringilla The true sparrows, the Old World sparrows in the family Passeridae, are small passerine birds. ... Portrait of Josiah Whitney by Silas Selleck, 1863 Josiah Dwight Whitney (November 23, 1819-August 15, 1896) was a professor of geology at Harvard University (from 1865), and was chief of the California Geological Survey (1860-1874). ...

Appearance

Elf Owls are overall gray-brown with white spots on the shoulder and a white bar at the wrist. They are roughly 13 cm (5 inches) tall and have long wings and short tails. Their primary projection extends nearly past their tail. They have fairly long legs and often appear bow-legged.

BOOYAKASHA Breeding

From about September, southwestern USA birds M. w. whitneyi, breeding in southeastern California, southern Arizona, western Texas and northern Mexico migrate south to winter in central and southern Mexico. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Flock of Barnacle Geese during autumn migration Bird migration refers to the regular seasonal journeys of varying distances undertaken by many species of birds. ...

Behavior

They raise their young in north-facing woodpecker cavities in Saguaro cacti^[1], sycamores, cottonwoods and other hardwood trees. They are often found in chapparal habitat, and are easily found during their breeding season. Genera Melanerpes Sphyrapicus Xiphidiopicus Dendropicos Dendrocopos Picoides Veniliornis Campethera Geocolaptes Dinopium Meiglyptes Hemicircus Micropternus Picus Mulleripicus Dryocopus Celeus Piculus Colaptes Campephilus Chrysocolaptes Reinwardtipicus Blythipicus Gecinulus Sapheopipo For other uses, see Woodpecker (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Carnegiea gigantea Britton & Rose Synonyms Cereus giganteus Engelm. ... Sycamore is a name applied at various times and places to three very different types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms. ... Species Populus deltoides L. Populus fremontii [[]] Populus nigra L. This article is about the poplar species. ... Chapparal can also mean a US Army surface to air missile system based on the Sidewinder air-to-air missile system. ...

Migrant Elf Owls return north in mid-April or early May. During this time they can often be heard just after dusk or at sunset, calling to each other. Their call is a high pitched whinny or chuckle. The male and female dart around the trees and call back and forth. They choose an abandoned woodpecker cavity and the female lays 3 round white eggs. She incubates them for about 3 weeks before the chicks hatch. The young owlets fledge at about 1 month. Usually, chicks are born in mid-June or early July. By the end of July, they are almost always fledged and ready to set out on their own. Genera Melanerpes Sphyrapicus Xiphidiopicus Dendropicos Dendrocopos Picoides Veniliornis Campethera Geocolaptes Dinopium Meiglyptes Hemicircus Micropternus Picus Mulleripicus Dryocopus Celeus Piculus Colaptes Campephilus Chrysocolaptes Reinwardtipicus Blythipicus Gecinulus Sapheopipo For other uses, see Woodpecker (disambiguation). ...

Diet

Elf Owls feed mainly on insects and therefore occupy habitats with a ready supply of these. Agaves and ocotillos are ideal places for foraging as moths and other insects may sleep in their flowers. Elf owls are known to eat scorpions, somehow managing to cut off the stinger. They are often seen chasing after flying insects, with a flight similar to a tyrant flycatcher's just after dusk. Species see text. ... Binomial name Fouquieria splendens The ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens, is a curious desert plant of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. ... A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly. ... Superfamilies Pseudochactoidea Buthoidea Chaeriloidea Chactoidea Iuroidea Scorpionoidea See classification for families. ... Genera Many, see text. ...

Subspecies

M. w. idonea, the subspecies in southernmost Texas to central Mexico is resident, as are the isolated M. w. sanfordi of southernmost Baja California and M. w. graysoni of Socorro Island, south-west from the tip of Baja California. The latter became extinct in the 20th century, probably around 1970. Baja California (literally lower California in Spanish) is the northernmost state of Mexico. ... Socorro Island Socorro Island (Spanish: Isla Socorro) is a volcanic island in the Revillagigedo Islands, a Mexican possession laying off that countrys western coast at 18°48N, 110°59W. The size is 16. ... In biology and ecology, extinction is the ceasing of existence of a species or group of species. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

1. ^ Hardy, P., Morisson, M. (2001) The Wilson Bulletin 113(1)pp:23-32

• BirdLife International (2004). Micrathene whitneyi. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
• "National Geographic" Field Guide to the Birds of North America ISBN 0-7922-6877-6
• Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol 5, Josep del Hoyo editor, ISBN 84-87334-25-3
• "National Audubon Society" The Sibley Guide to Birds, by David Allen Sibley, ISBN 0-679-45122-6

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ...

External links

• Elf Owl photo-High Res, & Article fireflyforest.net
• Elf Owl photo gallery VIREO