English             -               Least Pygmy-Owl

Portuguese     -               Caburé Miudinho

Latin                 -               Glaucidium minutissimum

Being able to Photograph the Least Pygmy-Owl during the day was a surprise for me. When I first saw it, it was rolled up in a wee ball and I thought it was a nest of some kind until the “nest” started moving and I realised it was a wee Owl. The photos of the Least Pygmy-Owl were taken on 2 different days but in the same tree, under (obviously) different lighting conditions and they were taken up at the lodge at REGUA. (Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu) It didn’t seem to bothered with my presence and i was able to observe it for quite a while. Always thought most owls were nocturnal but after doing a bit of reading, the Least Pygmy-Owl is most active at dusk and dawn and I did photograph it “early-ish” in the morning.

* The Least Pygmy-Owl is also known as the East Brazilian pygmy owl.

* It is one of the smallest South American owls.

* It has a length of 15 cm and weighs around 55 gr.

* Females are heavier than males.

* The Least Pygmy-Owl song consists of series of double or triple low-pitched hoots. (actual sound recorded at REGUA)

* It is almost endemic to Brazil but is found in small parts of Paraguay and northern Argentina.

* It inhabits tropical, humid evergreen forest canopy and forest edge, from sea-level to at least 1000 m.

* The Least Pygmy-Owl preys on insects, lizards and small birds. 

* The breeding habits of the Least Pygmy Owl are little known. Likely nests in abandoned woodpeckers nests where it lays up to 3 eggs.

* Not globally threatened. The Least Pygmy-Owl has a reasonably large range. There are no numbers on population trends but populations are thought to be stable therefore the Least Pygmy-Owl is classified as a species ”of least concern”.