Appearance

Elf Owls are overall gray-brown with white spots on the shoulder and a white bar at the wrist. They are roughly 13 cm (5 inches) tall and have long wings and short tails. Their primary projection extends nearly past their tail. They have fairly long legs and often appear bow-legged.

Breeding

From about September, southwestern USA birds M. w. whitneyi, breeding in southeastern  California, southern Arizona, western Texas and northern Mexico migrate south to winter in central and southern Mexico.

Behavior

They raise their young in north-facing woodpecker cavities in Saguaro Cacti, sycamores, cottonwoods and other hardwood trees. They are often found in chapparal habitat, and are easily found during their breeding season.

Migrant Elf Owls return north in mid-April or early May. During this time they can often be heard just after dusk or at sunset, calling to each other. Their call is a high pitched whinny or chuckle. The male and female dart around the trees and call back and forth. They choose an abandoned woodpecker cavity and the female lays 3 round white eggs. She incubates them for about 3 weeks before the chicks hatch. The young owlets fledge at about 1 month. Usually, chicks are born in mid-June or early July. By the end of July, they are almost always fledged and ready to set out on their own.

Diet

Elf Owls feed mainly on insects and therefore occupy habitats with a ready supply of these. Agaves and ocotillos are ideal places for foraging as moths and other insects may sleep in their flowers. Elf owls are known to eat scorpions, somehow managing to cut off the stinger. They are often seen chasing after flying insects, with a flight similar to a tyrant flycatcher's just after dusk.


Call me if you are thinking of buying or selling Tucson Real Estate;

Julie Nellis, ABR, ASR, GRI, e-Pro
Associate Broker
Long Realty
1890 E. River Rd
Tucson, AZ 85718
520-918-3843