Elf Owl
Micrathene whitneyi (Cooper, JG, 1861)
Strigidae — Owls
Elf Owl, Micrathene whitneyi, breeds across North America and Middle America from south-west USA to central Mexico. It is an owl in the family Strigidae and was described by Cooper in 1861. This species is the smallest and lightest owl in the world, and it is usually linked with chaparral. It often uses abandoned woodpecker holes in saguaro cacti for nesting, and it may also breed in natural tree cavities. Its range includes the south-western United States, central Mexico and the Baja California peninsula.
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae — Owls
- Breeding range
- North America, Middle America: sw USA to c Mexico
