Admiring the Small-but-Mighty Northern Pygmy Owl

Stone-cold killers come in all shapes and sizes in the natural world. However, we often think of large, menacing creatures with long, sharp claws and razor-sharp teeth as predators and don’t give a second thought to the small ones. Some of these small predators are often cute and adorable. That’s what makes them so cool.

I was thinking about this a week or so ago while I was photographing an adorable tiny owl. Behind the beautiful feathers lies the heart of a predator. The northern pygmy owl (Glaucidium californicum) is native to western North America. As its name implies, it is a tiny owl, only 6-7 inches tall and weighing about 2-3 ounces. By comparison, the very familiar American robin is 10 inches tall and weighs about the same as the pygmy owl.

I arrived in Yellowstone National Park a couple of days before I was scheduled to lead a winter photo tour. I had time to meet up with some other photo guides and catch up on the latest info about the wolves in the park, but everyone was talking about the northern pygmy owls that seemed to be popping up throughout the area.

On the second day, I spotted one of the tiny owls up on a mountainside. I grabbed my longest lens and tripod and started climbing up the mountain. The snow was only a foot or so deep, so it wasn’t too bad, but the elevation was over 7,000 feet, and I wasn’t acclimated yet. So I had to stop many times to catch my breath, look around to get my bearings, and then keep climbing. Every now and then, I would stop and visually relocate the owl.

When I finally reached the area just below the owl, I was breathing so heavily that I couldn’t take any pictures. Several minutes later, I was able to slow down my breathing and focus my camera. What I saw in my viewfinder was the cutest, tiniest owl with bright-yellow eyes. 

Northern pygmy owls are daytime hunters and mainly prey on small songbirds like chickadees. Pygmy owls are cavity-nesting birds, taking over old woodpecker cavities. They have a relatively short lifespan, with average birds lasting only three to four years. 

The perch the owl was on didn’t look very good and it was very high up in a tree, so I really didn’t take many pictures. Suddenly, the owl took off and went to another tree that was even higher. I thought, “How am I going to capture some images of this tiny killer?“ By the time I worked my way over to the new tree, the owl flew again. This time, it flew down the mountain. I was happy to be going down and not up!

By the time I got near the owl again, I was able to capture some images. These images were good, even though the owl was near the top of a tall tree. I was much closer to eye level with the bird because I was higher up on the mountain and the tree was lower. 

I thought, perhaps, this might be the best image I could get with this bird. I stood there just enjoying the moment, looking around at the snow-covered mountains all around me, and then the owl flew once again. This time, the owl was flying directly toward me. It swooped up and landed in a small cedar tree not 35 to 40 feet away—again at my eye level. I swung my camera around, framed up the picture, and pushed the shutter release button.

I could see through the viewfinder on my camera that this was going to be a wonderful image. The owl stayed there for several minutes, actively hunting. Its head was swiveling around from side to side as it looked for something to prey upon. Small snowflakes were gently falling, and the air was cold. 

Once again, the owl took off and landed in another tree much farther away. I was thrilled knowing that I had captured a stunning image of a marvelous predator. I turned and picked up my tripod and camera and started the hike down the mountain. The snow was falling steadily now, and by the time I got back to my truck I was covered with flakes. I packed up my photo gear, climbed in, and fired up the engine. I had a great feeling of satisfaction after spending some time with such a cool little killer.

About the author: Naturalist, wildlife photographer, and writer Stan Tekiela has published more than 175 field guides, nature books, children’s books, wildlife audio CDs, puzzles, and playing cards, presenting many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, trees, wildflowers, and cacti in the United States. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural History from the University of Minnesota and as an active professional naturalist for more than 35 years, Stan studies and photographs wildlife throughout the United States and Canada. He has received various national and regional awards for his books and photographs. 

Also a well-known columnist and radio personality, Stan’s syndicated column appears in more than 25 newspapers, and his wildlife programs are broadcast on a number of Midwest radio stations. Stan can be followed on Facebook and Twitter. He can be contacted via naturesmart.com.

If you enjoyed Stan’s post, you might also like: Cranes, Herons & Egrets; Bird Migration: The Incredible Journeys of North American Birds; Wild Birds: North America’s Most Unique Birds; Bald Eagles: The Ultimate Raptors; Owls: The Majestic Hunters; Hummingbirds: Marvels of the Bird World; and, for little tykes, his series of Mamas & Babies board books. 

If you enjoyed this post about owls, sign up for our newsletter. #bewellbeoutdoors