Picture a soda can or a softball with a straight, long tail of feathers at the tip of a tree.
That is roughly the size of Washington’s smallest owl inhabitant.
The northern pygmy owl, roughly 7 inches tall including its long tail, makes for a bird photographer’s nightmare unless it pays a trailside or roadside visit atop a broken or young tree. Due to the tiny size of the owl, it is often misidentified or overlooked by bird watchers, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
A short excursion into the Yacolt Burn State Forest east of Hockinson yielded a sighting, marking the 38th bird species photographed this year as part of The Reflector’s goal to photograph 100 bird species in Southwest Washington.
The species has been spotted, at least by sound, throughout the Dole Valley and Yacolt Burn State Forest area on numerous occasions, according to prior sightings uploaded to eBird.
Often, they are spotted at the tops of growing trees in replanted clear cuts, but on Thursday, Feb. 27, one decided to stay high above ground in multiple mature conifers, making photos difficult, but the experience of finally finding one for the first time is still special.
Its obvious call led to a tromp through the clear cut, which a pair of heavier duty hiking pants would have been preferred for due to the high density of trailing blackberry at ankle-grabbing height. The pygmy owl stayed atop its choice of tree for five minutes or so before moving along to the next.
Despite being an owl, the northern pygmy owl is a daytime hunter, which means the odds are very high to find the species, at least by sound. Around the Yacolt Burn State Forest, near the Tarbell Trailhead, the pygmy owl was high atop the trees, looking like a mere extension of the bare tree tops. The owl made plenty of noise, leading to the sighting.
When the owl is silent, it may be on the hunt. As a small bird of prey, the northern pygmy owl enjoys a diet of small birds, but can tackle prey up to three times their size, “All About Birds” states.
Small birds such as hummingbirds, juncos, warblers and others often mob a pygmy owl to try and drive it away. A commotion of smaller birds can often lead a bird watcher right to a northern pygmy owl, or any other bird of prey, as well.
The species of owl is more abundant at higher elevations such as the Yacolt Burn State Forest area, but has been spotted throughout the Clark County lowlands.
