Northern Pygmy-Owl
Northern Pygmy-Owl has surged: up 98% on the route-weighted index since 1970.
About the Northern Pygmy-Owl
The Northern Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium gnoma) is a North American member of the Owls (Strigidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the birds of prey.
- Size
- 5–27.5 in long (13–70 cm) — a nocturnal raptor (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Open country, woodlands, cliffs and wetlands, hunting from the air or a high perch.
- Diet
- Live prey — small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and large insects (carrion for vultures).
- Range
- Recorded on 273 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 11 states, most concentrated in the Northern Pacific Rainforest.
- Family
- Strigidae · Birds of prey
Notable Northern Pygmy-Owl Trends
No notable trend signals for Northern Pygmy-Owl. See the full index history below.
Northern Pygmy-Owl Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Northern Pygmy-Owl is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.01 (95% range 0.00–0.01). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±84.4%, with 60% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2026 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2027 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2028 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2029 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
Where the Northern Pygmy-Owl Is Detected
BBS routes recording Northern Pygmy-Owl, sized by most recent count.
Northern Pygmy-Owl Population Trend by State
| Alaska | -9% | 1994 | 6 |
| Arizona | -69% | 1992 | 9 |
| California | -36% | 1970 | 99 |
| Colorado | -5% | 1996 | 17 |
| Idaho | insufficient data | n/a | 8 |
| Montana | -36% | 1986 | 12 |
| New Mexico | -54% | 1995 | 10 |
| Oregon | -37% | 1974 | 58 |
| Utah | insufficient data | n/a | 8 |
| Washington | -4% | 1983 | 41 |
| Wyoming | insufficient data | n/a | 5 |
Northern Pygmy-Owl Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | +34% | 1972 | 81 |
| Great Basin | -62% | 1978 | 32 |
| Northern Rockies | -51% | 1985 | 44 |
| Sierra Nevada | -74% | 1972 | 33 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | -32% | 1988 | 31 |
| Coastal California | -50% | 1972 | 37 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | -65% | 1992 | 11 |
Northern Pygmy-Owl Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 98% since 1970.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.