Elf Owl

Micrathene whitneyi (Cooper, JG, 1861)

41 gWeight

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.

Busiest months: April · Most records: United States, Mexico

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Elf Owl has been recorded at 34 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Madera Canyon – Santa Rita LodgeUnited States2,727 records
Bentsen-Rio Grande Val. SP WBC (Mission)United States1,900 records
PortalUnited States860 records

More places

Davis Mountains SPUnited States686 records
Portal – Cave Creek RanchUnited States683 records
Catalina SPUnited States345 records
Ramsey Canyon PreserveUnited States261 records
Madera Canyon – Proctor Rd.United States207 records
Florida Canyon – lowerUnited States192 records
Cave Creek Canyon – South ForkUnited States134 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United States Mexico

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

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.

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