elf owl

noun

1. a small, insectivorous owl, Micrathene whitneyi, of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico.

Word History and Origins

Origin of elf owl¹

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, she suggested I head across the street at sunset to see the elf owl that burrows in a utility pole there.

From New York Times

“It’s like the littlest dog that has the biggest bark,” said Steve Holt, the lodge owner, speaking of the tiny elf owl that I and a dozen guests gathered to see, settling ultimately for the chirping, whistling and trilling that indicated it was nearby.

From New York Times

Using camera traps placed along more than 30 miles of border in the Huachuca and Patagonia mountains before construction began, the study has collected 12,000 images documenting more than 100 species since March 2020, including mountain lion, pronghorn, elf owl, black bear, porcupine and a Mexican subspecies of Virginia opossum.

From Scientific American

The smallest is the elf owl, which inhabits the semideserts and chaparrals of the American Southwest, nesting in cavities made by woodpeckers in saguaros and other cactuses.

From Washington Post

The region is also home to the world’s smallest owl species, the elf owl, whose numbers have declined sharply in North America as its habitat has shrunk.

From Washington Post