Well, we got lucky and the bird stayed put. It was a Northern Pygmy Owl (NPO) (Glaucidium gnoma). We count ourselves very lucky to have found this bird randomly. Especially when you consider that it really is a Pygmy. This owl is only about 6 inches long. For those of you not overly familiar with birds that is just over half the size of an American Robin (Turdus migratorius). (the body would be about the same size as a normal computer mouse.) It also weighs in at a whopping 2.5 ounces. (Sibley, 2003)
Though this little guy is tiny the NPO is pretty fearless. Normally they eat small birds, rodents and insects that they catch in the trees, but they have been known to catch and eat quail (Oreortyx pictus, Callipepla californica) which can be 3 times their weight. (6-8 ounces) That is no small feat. The one we saw stayed right on the fence post until I got out and walked right up to him to try and get a good picture with my phone. (We didn't have our camera. We will try and get our own pictures for future posts.) (Sibley, 2003)
It was fairly easy to ID him because of the false eye spots they have on the back of their heads. Most people know owls can turn their heads almost all the way around. So if you see a small owl and it turns its' head around and is still looking at you it is most likely a NPO. My guess would be this is a pretty good predator defense because most predators won't attack prey that is looking right at it. So the NPO has always got "someone" watching its' back. (this technique is not suggested for humans, it just looks weird.)
1. Picture of NPO in tree-http://www.heymister.net/storage/Northern%20Pygmy%20Owl.jpg
2. Picture of NPO in hand- http://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/images/Northern_pygmy_owl_eyes_large.jpg
3. Picture of 2 faced man- http://sas.guidespot.com/bundles/guides_3y/assets/widget_bH77QNN8DfiQmE71p4v-Su.jpg
4. Sibley, David Allen. 2003. The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North American
