Description | The elf owl (Micrathene whitneyi) is a member of the owl family Strigidae, that breeds in the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is the world's lightest owl, although the long-whiskered owlet and the Tamaulipas pygmy owl are of a similarly diminutive length. It is also the world's smallest owl. The mean body weight of this species is 40Â g (1.4Â oz). These tiny owls are 12.5 to 14.5Â cm (4.9 to 5.7Â in) long and have a wingspan of about 27Â cm (10.5Â in). Their primary projection (flight feather) extends nearly past their tail. They have fairly long legs and often appear bow-legged. They can often be heard calling to one another just after dusk or at sunset. Their call is a high-pitched whinny or chuckle. The male and female dart around trees and call back and forth.
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Source Data | |
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Rank | genus |
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Taxonomy (GBIF,PBDB) | Life : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Strigiformes : Strigidae : Micrathene |
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Taxonomic Status (GBIF) | accepted |
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Classification (PBDB,GBIF) | |
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Common Name | elf owl |
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Scientific Name | Micrathene Coues, 1866 |
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Name Published In | Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., 1866 |
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Opinions (PBDB) | Name | Rank | Opinion | Evidence | Author |
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Micrathene | genus | belongs to Strigidae | stated without evidence | Mead et al., 1984 |
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Status (PBDB) | extant |
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Taxon Size (PBDB) | 1 |
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Extant Size (PBDB) | 1 (100%) |
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First Recorded Appearance | 0.13 Ma Pleistocene |
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Environment | terrestrial (based on Strigidae) |
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Motility | actively mobile (based on Theropoda) |
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Vision | well-developed (based on Strigiformes) |
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Diet | carnivore, insectivore (based on Strigidae) |
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Reproduction | oviparous, brooding (based on Strigiformes) |
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Ontogeny | accretion,modification of parts (based on Theropoda) |
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Taphonomy | hydroxylapatite,compact or dense (based on Theropoda) |
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Primary Reference (PBDB) | J. I. Mead, E. L. Roth, and T. R. Van Devender, D. W. Steadman. 1984. The Late Wisconsinan vertebrate fauna from Deadman Cave, southern Arizona. Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History 20(14):247-276 |
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Common Name(s) | Elf Owl, Elf Owls |
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Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micrathene |
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Mead J. I., Roth E. L., et al (1984) The Late Wisconsinan vertebrate fauna from Deadman Cave, southern Arizona, Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History 20 14, 247-276 |
CoL2006 - via The Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera |
Nomenclator Zoologicus. A list of the names of genera and subgenera in zoology from the tenth edition of Linnaeus, 1758 to the end of 2004. Digitised by uBio from vols. 1-9 of Neave (ed.), 1939-1996 plus supplementary digital-only volume. http://ubio.org/NomenclatorZoologicus (as at 2006). - via The Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera |
as per family - via The Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera |
Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., 1866 - via The Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera |
SN2000/Monroe Jr. & Sibley, 1993 - via The Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera |
Banks, R. C., R. W. McDiarmid, and A. L. Gardner, 1987: Checklist of Vertebrates of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and Canada. Resource Publication, no. 166. 79. - via Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) |