Brazilian Pygmy Owl's Diet

The Brazilian pygmy owl, known as the Least pygmy owl, is a resident of Brazil, but can be found in Argentina and parts of Paraguay. At a mere 5 to 6 inches tall, it is the smallest owl species. It lives in the evergreen rainforest and the forest edge where it hunts lizards, insects, and smaller birds.

  1. Birds of Prey

    • The rain forests of Brazil are home to millions of species of insects, vertebrates, and plants. The Least pygmy owl nests in the rain forest trees and maintains a hunting area away from its nest. Like all owls, the Least pygmy owl is a bird of prey, hunting live food and consuming it right away. Most owls will hunt whatever is easiest to find and adapt their hunting style to fit the prey.

    Lizards

    • The Least pygmy-owl hunts primarily from a perch in the forest. This may be a low branch or stump. The owl will wait on the perch for the lizard to appear. When it does, the owl will dive toward the prey with spread wings, talons stretched forward. In some cases, the Pygmy owl may simply drop on the target, opening their wings at the last moment. The Brazilian rain forest is populated with as many as 468 species of reptiles, including anoles and caiman lizards.

    Insects and Small Birds

    • When an insect or small bird is spotted, the Least pygmy owl will fly straight toward it, keeping its head focused on the prey until the last second. Then the owl will pulls its head back and push its feet toward the prey, spreading the talons. Brazil is home to about 1,622 species of birds such as lorikeets and macaws, and 70,000 species of insects, such as green and brown grasshoppers and stick insects. Most of these thousand of species inhabit the Amazon rainforests.