East Brazilian pygmy owl
{{Short description|Species of owl}}
{{speciesbox
| image = Caburé-miudinho (Glaucidium minutissimum) - Least Pygmy-Owl.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status2 = CITES_A2
| status2_system = CITES
| status2_ref = {{Cite web|title=Appendices {{!}} CITES|url=https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php|access-date=2022-01-14|website=cites.org}}
| genus = Glaucidium
| species = minutissimum
| authority = (Wied-Neuwied, 1830)
| synonyms =
- Glaucidium sicki
- Strix pumila Temminck, 1821
- Strix minutissima (Wied),1830
| range_map = Glaucidium minutissimum map.svg
| range_map_caption = Distribution of East Brazilian pygmy owl {{leftlegend|green|Resident}}
}}
The East Brazilian pygmy owl (Glaucidium minutissimum), also known as least pygmy-owl or Sick's pygmy-owl, is a small owl in the typical owl family.
Taxonomy
It has been argued that the scientific name used here actually belongs to the Pernambuco pygmy owl, in which case the East Brazilian pygmy owl should be referred to as G. sicki (König & Weick, 2005).König, C. & F. Weick. (2005). A new Least Pygmy Owl (Aves: Strigidae) from southeastern Brazil. Stuttgarter Beitr. Naturk. Ser. A. no. 688. This has not gained widespread recognition.South American Classification Committee (2008). [http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCprop243.html Change the name of Least Pygmy-Owl to Glaucidium sicki.] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20150919/http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~remsen/SACCprop243.html |date=2015-09-19 }} Accessed 21-11-2008.
Formerly, this species included the Colima pygmy owl, Tamaulipas pygmy owl, Central American pygmy owl, subtropical pygmy owl, and Baja pygmy owl{{Citation | last = Lepage | first = Denis | year = 2003–2007 | title = Avibase - the world bird database | url = http://www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/avibase.jsp?pg=summary&lang=EN&id=2D55E32F42539227&ts=1190595344906 | access-date = Sep 22, 2007 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} as subspecies.
Distribution
Habitat
File: Strigidae - Glaucidium minutissimum.JPG
It inhabits tropical and subtropical moist evergreen forests and edges as well as open bush canopy.{{Citation | last = Weick | first = Friedhelm | year = 2006 | title = Owls (Strigiformes): Annotated and Illustrated Checklist | publisher = Springer | page = 164 | isbn = 978-3-540-35234-1}}
Description
It is one of the smallest South American owls, averaging at {{cvt|55|g|oz|abbr=on}} and {{cvt|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} tall. Wing length can reach {{convert|85|-|91|mm|abbr=on}}, while the tail can reach a length of {{convert|49|-|54|mm|abbr=on}}. The head is rounded, with no ear tufts. The pale greyish-brown facial disk is not pronounced and shows some rufous concentric lines. The eyes are yellow, with whitish eyebrows. The upper part of the body is relatively dark, rufous-brown with small white spots. Wings are dark brown and relatively short. The tail is dark brown with five pale bars. The lower part of the body is light gray or white, with reddish-brown stripes. The throat shows a rounded whitish area. The legs are feathered, with bristled and yellowish toes. Claws are horn-colored with dark tips. The beak is yellow-green.[http://www.owlpages.com/owls/species.php?s=1990 Owl Pages]Steve N. G. Howell and Mark B. Robbins [https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/wilson/v107n01/p0007-p0025.pdf SPECIES LIMITS OF THE LEAST PYGMY-OWL (GLAUCIDIUM MINUTISSIMUM) COMPLEX]
Biology
The East Brazilian pygmy owl mainly feeds on small insects and sometimes catches small vertebrates. It is active at dusk and dawn, but occasionally hunts during the day. The song of the male is two to four long notes separated by short pauses.
==References==
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1268802}}