ANIMALS - BIRDS - OWLS - FERRUGINOUS PYGMY OWL (GLAUCIDIUM BRASILIANUM)

Animals - Birds - Owls

Ferruginous pygmy owl (Glaucidium brasilianum)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Strigiformes
Family : Strigidae
Genus : Glaucidium
Species : G. Brasilianum

Description:

The Ferruginous pygmy owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) is a small owl that breeds in south-central Arizona in the United States, south through Mexico and Central America, to South America into Bolivia and Argentina.

In Central America and South America, it is the most widely distributed pygmy owl and is probably one of the most numerous owl species in those areas. It is found in a wide range of semi-open wooded habitats in these areas.

This species is crepuscular, but often hunts by day. It hunts a variety of birds, lizards, mammals, and insects. The flight is low to the ground and rapid with long swoops.

It can be readily located by the small birds that mob it while it is perched in a tree (up to 40 birds of 11 species have been recorded mobbing one owl).

The ferruginous pygmy owl is small, typically 15 cm (5.9 in), and stocky with disproportionately large talons. The crown has elongated white/buff spots or streaks, the wing coverts have white spots, and the underparts are heavily streaked white. There are prominent white supercilia above the facial disc. There are two eye spots on the nape.

Otherwise, its overall color is highly variable, ranging from grey-brown with a black-and-white barred tail to rich rufous with a uniform rufous tail. Sexes are similar with females slightly larger and often more reddish.

Binomial Name:

Name : Glaucidium brasilianum
Taxonomist : Johann Friedrich Gmelin (Tübingen - Germany)
Year : 1788
Subspecies : 12 (Brasilianum, Cactorum, Duidae, … )
Synonyms : None

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 7 of 8, from Owls Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 30th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 copies
Type : Stamp from Series of 8 Stamps
Value : UYP 15

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated