The Northern Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium gnoma) ranges from southern Alaska all the way to the Honduras. In the U.S., it is a western species and inhabits montane forests along the coast as well as the interior Rockies. Birds from Arizona southward typically give a series of double-noted "hoots" while those farther north give a single hoot repeated every three to five seconds. The individual on this page was photographed in May, 1999 near Ellensburg, Kittitas Co., Washington with a Canon EOS A2 and EF 300 F4L IS & 1.4X extender on Fuji Sensia 100 pushed one stop. Fill flash was also used and the camera was hand held on a BushHawk shoulder mount. This individual was hunting near dusk and came within 15 feet of the observers on several occasions seeming oblivious to us.

Shortly before the below photos were taken, the bird had plunged into the damp grass nearby, apparently going after a prey item. The wet feathers visible on the breast in the two shots below were a result of this hunting activity.