Costa Rican Pygmy Owl

Overview

The Costa Rican pygmy owl is a small typical owl found in Costa Rica and Panama. It is a year-round resident that is assessed as being of Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population despite being rare in Panama.

Identification

• Length of 14.5 to 17 cm, with males weighing 53 to 70 g and larger females up to 99 g.
• Adults exhibit two color morphs, either mostly brown or rufous, with lighter spots on the head and upper body.
• The tail features four white bands and a white tip, while the nape has blackish spots with pale borders resembling eyes.
• Song consists of a long series of clear, unmodulated toots in an irregular rhythm, sometimes in pairs or a continuous series of single notes.

Habitat

This species inhabits the canopy and edges of humid montane oak and evergreen forests within the Cordillera Central and Cordillera de Talamanca. It occurs at elevations between 900 and 3,000 m on the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica and 1,200 to 3,000 m on the Pacific slope, with patchy distribution into western Panama.

Diet

Foraging both day and night, the owl hunts from a low perch in dense foliage by making a short, swift dash at its prey. Its diet includes birds, small mammals, other vertebrates, and large arthropods.

Did you know?

The nape features a pair of blackish spots with pale borders that resemble eyes on the back of the head.