About Glaucidium minutissimum (zu Wied-Neuwied, 1830)
This is the description of the owl species Glaucidium minutissimum, originally described by zu Wied-Neuwied in 1830. It is one of the smallest owls in South America. On average, individuals weigh 55 g (1.9 oz) and measure 15 cm (5.9 in) in height. Wing length ranges from 85 to 91 mm (3.3 to 3.6 in), while tail length ranges from 49 to 54 mm (1.9 to 2.1 in). It has a rounded head with no ear tufts. Its pale greyish-brown facial disk is not pronounced and marked with some rufous concentric lines. The eyes are yellow, and it has whitish eyebrows. The upper body is relatively dark, colored rufous-brown with small white spots. Its wings are dark brown and relatively short. The dark brown tail has five pale bars. The underbody is light gray or white, with reddish-brown stripes. There is a rounded whitish area on the throat. The legs are feathered, and the toes are bristled and yellowish. Claws are horn-colored with dark tips, and the beak is yellow-green. This species has a large distribution range, found in southeastern Brazil and the easternmost part of Paraguay. It inhabits tropical and subtropical moist evergreen forests, forest edges, and open bush canopies.
