About Glaucidium jardinii (Bonaparte, 1855)
The Andean pygmy owl (scientific name Glaucidium jardinii (Bonaparte, 1855)) measures 15 to 16 cm (5.9 to 6.3 in) in total length. Males weigh between 54.9 and 77.4 g (1.9 to 2.7 oz), while females weigh between 54.6 and 75 g (1.9 to 2.6 oz). This species has two distinct color morphs. In the first morph, the head, most of the body, wings, and tail are dull dark brown with white markings. In the second morph, these same areas are dark chestnut with buff markings. Both morphs have small white dots on the crown. They have white 'brows' above yellow eyes, white 'moustaches', and a broad white throat. A black-and-white face-like pattern appears on their nape. Their backs have spots, and their tails have bars; these markings are white for the brown morph and buff for the chestnut morph. The sides of the breast are dark brown or dark chestnut with pale markings. The breast and belly are white with heavy dark brown or chestnut streaks. This owl is distributed across far western Venezuela, the central and western Andes of Colombia, and extends south through Ecuador to central Peru. It lives in a variety of mountain landscapes, including cloudforest, elfin forest, and Polylepis woodland. It can sometimes also be found in more open landscapes such as forest edges and pastures with scattered trees. It occurs from the middle levels of the forest up to the canopy. Its elevation range is approximately 1,500 to 3,500 m (4,900 to 11,500 ft) in Colombia, and reaches somewhat higher elevations in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru.
