Elf Owl
Micrathene whitneyi
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderStrigiformes (Owls)
- FamilyStrigidae (Typical Owls)
- GenusMicrathene
- SpeciesMicrathene whitneyi (Elf Owl)
About the Elf Owl
The elf owl (Micrathene whitneyi) is a small grayish-brown owl about the size of a sparrow found in the Southwestern United States, central Mexico, and the Baja California peninsula. It has pale yellow eyes highlighted by thin white "eyebrows" and a gray bill with a horn-colored tip. The elf owl frequently inhabits woodpecker holes in saguaro cacti; it also nests in natural tree cavities. It is nocturnal and feeds primarily on insects.
The elf owl was formally described in 1861 by the American naturalist James Graham Cooper from a specimen collected near Fort Mohave in Arizona. He coined the binomial name Athene whitneyi, choosing the specific epithet to honour the geologist Josiah Whitney. The owl is now the only species placed in the genus Micrathene that was introduced in 1866 specifically for the elf owl by American ornithologist Elliott Coues. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek mikros meaning "small" and the genus name Athene that had been introduced by Friedrich Boie in 1822.
A molecular phylogenetic study of the owls published in 2019 found that the elf owl is a sister species to the South American long-whiskered owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi) that was first... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
Spotted Owl
Strix occidentalis
Western Screech-Owl
Megascops kennicottii
Burrowing Owl
Athene cunicularia
Whiskered Screech-Owl
Megascops trichopsis
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Glaucidium gnoma
Flammulated Owl
Psiloscops flammeolus
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
American Barn Owl
Tyto furcata
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 4 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Elf Owl in Saguaro National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Elf Owl sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 243 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Elf Owl in Saguaro National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Elf Owl in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.