The Elf Owl is the smallest owl in the world, weighing about as much as a golf ball. It nests in abandoned woodpecker holes in saguaro cacti and desert trees in the Sonoran Desert and southwestern Texas. It is insectivorous, capturing moths and scorpions at night — it removes the stingers from scorpions before eating them.
Best time to see a Elf Owl
The best time to see a Elf Owl is April–May, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 768 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Elf Owl sightings near you
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