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Elf owls are common inhabitants of the Sonoran desert in Arizona, and spend winters outside of the U.S.
photo: Tom Gillespie
Characteristics: This tiny owl is the smallest in North America. They are common inhabitants of the Sonoran desert in Arizona, and spend winters outside of the U.S. They are hard to find though, their coloration makes excellent camouflage in dense desert foliage.
Diet: The elf owl feeds primarily on insects and small invertebrates such a scorpions and centipedes. Their small size allows them to feed on small prey, reducing the competition they may face if they were a larger predator.
Reproduction: Elf owls utilize abandoned Gila woodpecker nests in tall Saguaro cacti. Females lay clutches of 3-4 eggs that are incubated by male and female for 14 days.
Environmental Connections: Often thought of as barren wastelands, deserts are actually rich ecosystems teeming with biodiversity. Desert plants and animals have developed unique ways to use sporadic, unpredictable rainfall to their advantage. Despite the adaptability of its flora and fauna, this fragile ecosystem can easily be thrown off balance.
Starlings, an introduced bird species from Europe, threaten the elf owl as well as many other North American birds. Since their introduction in the late 1800’s, the starling population in North America has increased significantly. Starlings aggressively compete for nesting sites and often invade elf owl nest cavities in the desert.
Human encroachment threatens desert ecosystems globally. Water diversion for dams and hydroelectric plants deplete deserts of precious water. Overgrazing, human development and tourism destroy natural soils and vegetation needed to keep this ecosystem in balance.
Protecting the elf owl means preserving the habitats in which they live. No ecosystem stands alone so it is important that we work to protect ecosystems on a global level.
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