The Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi) is a species of owl native to the Southwestern United States and Mexico. They are considered the smallest and lightest owl in the world, and the only member of the genus Micrathene. They only weigh about 1.4 oz, smaller than even a northern cardinal. It would take 35 elf owls to equal the weight of a great horned owl. It is so small, that it uses cactus holes made and abandoned by Gila woodpeckers. Elf owls usually lay 2 to 4 eggs, but can lay anywhere from 1 to 5. Elf owls have incredible hearing and can hear a scorpion moving around from 75 ft away. They eat large insects, and sometimes small lizards. They especially like to eat jumping bean moths when they swarm from the jumping beans they were living in. Noticeably, if they catch a scorpion, they remove the stinger before eating it or feeding it to their owlets. Elf owls are excellent hunters who will store excess insects in their nest for later. Elf owls nest high up in saguaro cactus for protection from predators like bigger owls, prairie falcons ,snakes, coyotes, bobcats.
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