One of the smallest owls on the continent: just 15 to 17 cm. The plumage is reddish-brown with fine white spots on the back and head. The breast is white with chestnut streaks. The eyes are yellow. Its most fascinating feature is the nape: it has two dark spots surrounded by pale feathers that mimic a pair of eyes, creating the illusion that the bird is looking in two directions at once. This "false face" disorients predators.
Behaviour
Unlike most owls, the ferruginous pygmy-owl is active both by day and by night. It hunts insects and small prey from exposed perches. It also catches small birds, which makes it a feared diurnal predator. Its song is a series of repeated rising whistles that draws in other birds, which come to mob it.
How and when to see it
Year round. Easiest to detect by its song. Groups of small birds mobbing a fixed point often reveal a pygmy-owl at rest.
Where to see it in the Iberá
The gateways of the Great Iberá Park where ferruginous pygmy-owl has confirmed presence:
Tours to see it
Verified providers operating at the gateways where ferruginous pygmy-owl lives. You contact them directly on WhatsApp from the app.
- Esteros Ñe’é
Experiences with local storytelling and a cultural take on the marshes.★ 5.0 - Gaucho Argentino
Horseback journeys across a network of refuges in Iberá. Multi-day rides with overnight…★ 5.0 - Jurassic Plant - Night Tour
The only carnivorous-plant garden in Argentina and a pioneer in Latin America. A guided…★ 5.0 - Irupé Excursiones
Guided hiking. Guided visit to museums, historic sites, chapels and trails of the town…★ 5.0
Species profile
- Common nameFerruginous Pygmy-Owl
- Scientific nameGlaucidium brasilianum
- GroupBird
- StatusNative
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