 Question of the Week Answer
If you guessed C: Elf owl, you'd be correct!
The elf owl (Micrathene whitneyi) is the tiniest owl in the world. It typically arrives to California from Mexico in Spring to nest and stays through most of the Summer, including in areas managed by the El Centro, Needles and Palm Springs-South Coast field offices.
This amazing bird measures just under 6 inches in length and weighs about the same as a standard light bulb. Nocturnal birds, elf owls are most active a few hours past sunset and a few hours before sunrise. These tiny raptors capture their prey in flight, on the ground, on foliage, on flowers, around outdoor lights, and at hummingbird feeders. Sometimes, they will even run after the prey on the ground. Their diet consists of insects like moths, beetles, crickets, and scarab beetles. They have also been observed on the rare occasion eating snakes, lizards, and mice.
Species like the elf owl may be experiencing habitat degradation and loss in desert riparian areas, heightened by impacts from climate change.
Source: National Park Service
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