HORNED OWLS, ETC. 191 
other thick foliage, where it sits upright near the trunk and is prac¬ 
tically invisible to the observer. 
“The flight is not very much like that of other owls, but resem¬ 
bles that of the sparrow hawk to some extent, and is not altogether 
noiseless. The love-notes, according to Captain Bendire, are some¬ 
what musical, although they resemble to some extent those of the 
mourning dove.” (Fisher.) 
379a. G. g. californicum ( Scl. ). California Pygmy Owl. 
Similar to G. gnoma but browner, chest heavily washed with reddish 
brown. Young: much paler, ash gray on head and grayish brown on back, 
unspotted. 
Distribution. — Humid coast region from southern British Columbia 
south to northern California. 
Nest. — In deserted woodpecker holes. Eggs: usually 4, white. 
Food. — Largely mammals and small birds. 
380. Glaucidium phalsenoides ( Daud .). Ferruginous Pygmy 
Owl. 
Adults. — Similar to the pygmy owl, but sides of breast plain brown or 
rufous, upper parts varying from grayish brown to bright rufous; head 
finely streaked with whitish ; tail banded, bars varying from white to ru¬ 
fous and interspaces from grayish brown to blackish. Young: top of head 
plain. Length : 6.50-7.00, wing 3.50-4.60, tail 2.20-3.50. 
Distribution. — From Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, south to south¬ 
ern Brazil. 
Nest. — As far as known, in hollow trees, or woodpecker holes. Eggs: 
— taken by Sennett — 4, white. 
The little ferruginous owl is diurnal like the other pygmies, flying 
about hunting in bright sunlight. His note, as given by Mr. F. 
Stephens, is a “loud cuck repeated several times, as rapidly as twice 
each second,” given with a jerk of the tail and a toss of the head. 
GENUS MICROPALLAS. 
mmm 
Fig. 254. 
381. Micropallas whitneyi (Cooper). Elf Owl. 
Head without ear tufts; ear openings small; nostril small, circular, open¬ 
ing near the middle of the inflated cere ; tarsus 
longer than middle toe, scantily haired ; claws small 
and weak ; tail even, less than one half as long as 
wing; smallest United States owl. Adults: face with 
white eyebrows ; lores and throat band white, encir¬ 
cled by brownish ring; under parts whitish, with vertical blotches of dark 
brown and rusty, finely mottled with darker; upper parts grayish or gray¬ 
ish brown, finely mottled with darker and rusty, and indistinctly specked 
with rusty ; tail brownish, crossed by 5 or 6 narrow pale brownish or rusty 
bands, usually interrupted on middle feathers. Length : 5.50-6.25, wing 
4.00-4.40, tail 1.90-2.30. 
Distribution. —From southern Texas to southern California, and south 
through Lower California and tablelands of Mexico. 
Nest. — In old woodpecker holes in giant cacti or hollow trees. Eggs: 2 
to 5, white. 
Food. — As far as known, small mammals, grasshoppers, and beetles. 
