Northern Pygmy Owl

About the Northern Pygmy Owl

The northern pygmy owl (Glaucidium gnoma) is a small owl native to western North America. Seven subspecies are accepted, of which three have sometimes been treated as separate species. The northern pygmy owl was formally described in 1832 by the German naturalist Johann Georg Wagler under the current binomial name Glaucidium gnoma based on a specimen collected in Mexico. The specific epithet is from modern Latin gnomus meaning "gnome", "dwarf" or "pygmy".

This species has sometimes been split into four species; the northern pygmy owl (G. californicum), the mountain pygmy owl (G. gnoma), the Baja pygmy owl (G. hoskinsii), and the Guatemalan pygmy owl (G. cobanense) based on differences in the territorial calls of males. A genetic study published in 2008 included a comparison of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b sequences of the subspecies G. g. californicum and G. g. gnoma.

Seven subspecies are recognized: G. g. grinnelli Ridgway, R, 1914 – coniferous forest of southeastern Alaska to northern California G. g. swarthi Grinnell, J, 1913 – Vancouver Island in British Columbia G. g. californicum Sclater, PL, 1857 – central British Columbia to southwestern USA... Wikipedia →