The little owl (Athene noctua), also called the owl of Athena or owl of Minerva, is a small, plump owl with a flat-topped head, a short tail and yellow eyes under pale eyebrows that give it a stern, frowning look. It measures about 22 cm in length, with a wingspan of around 56 cm and a weight near 180 g, and its greyish-brown plumage is spotted, streaked and barred with white. It belongs to the typical owl family Strigidae and lives across temperate and warmer Europe, North Africa and Asia as far east as Korea, in open country such as farmland, orchards, woodland edges, steppes and stony semi-deserts. People introduced it to Britain in the nineteenth century and to New Zealand's South Island in the early twentieth. It is mainly nocturnal but often perches in plain view by day, hunting insects, earthworms and small vertebrates, and the male usually keeps one territory for life. Scopoli described it in 1769, and the genus name Athene recalls the Greek goddess of wisdom. Its wide range and large population earn it a Least Concern rating from the IUCN.
Facts
Classification
Population Trend System (Realm) Relationship to PeopleInvasive or Introduced Species 1 Living or Extinct Conservation Status Activity Pattern Activity Pattern Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Little owl (Wikipedia)
In Biome
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Little owl (Wikipedia)Distribution and habitat, ChinaQuote, Distribution and habitat, China
Its range in Eurasia extends from the Iberian Peninsula and Denmark eastwards to China
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Little owl (Wikipedia)Distribution and habitat, where it livesQuote, Distribution and habitat, where it lives
Its range in Eurasia extends from the Iberian Peninsula and Denmark eastwards to China
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Little owl (Wikipedia)Distribution and habitat, where it lives (3)Quote, Distribution and habitat, where it lives (3)
It was introduced to Otago in New Zealand by the local acclimatisation society in 1906
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Little owl (Wikipedia)Distribution and habitat, where it lives (2)Quote, Distribution and habitat, where it lives (2)
It was introduced to the United Kingdom in the 19th century
Sources
1. Little owl (Wikipedia)
Lead
the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as "least concern".
Behaviour and ecology
It feeds on prey such as insects and earthworms, as well as small vertebrates including amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Distribution and habitat
This is a sedentary species that is found in open countryside in a great range of habitats.
Distribution and habitat, living or extinct
The little owl is widespread across Europe, Asia and North Africa.
Lead, relationship to people
It was introduced into Britain at the end of the 19th century and into the South Island of New Zealand in the early 20th century.
Lead, activity pattern
It is a small (approx. 22 cm long), cryptically coloured, mainly nocturnal species
Behaviour and ecology, activity pattern
The little owl is partly diurnal and often perches boldly and prominently during the day.
Distribution and habitat, where it lives
Its range in Eurasia extends from the Iberian Peninsula and Denmark eastwards to China
Distribution and habitat, China
Its range in Eurasia extends from the Iberian Peninsula and Denmark eastwards to China
Distribution and habitat, where it lives (2)
It was introduced to the United Kingdom in the 19th century
Distribution and habitat, where it lives (3)
It was introduced to Otago in New Zealand by the local acclimatisation society in 1906
Status
The population is believed to be stable
In Biome: Desert, Lead, semi-deserts
is found in a range of habitats including farmland, woodland fringes, steppes and semi-deserts
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