Interesting Southeast Arizona Owls
By Dan Weisz Elf Owl, all images by Dan Weisz May in Southeast Arizona is a great time to find owls! They are very vocal and you can usually hear at least one species calling in the dark night depending on what habitat you are in. Most people are familiar with the Great Horned Owl, the most common owl in the US and the largest in Arizona. You might also be aware of the Western Screech-Owl that we have in the desert areas around the city. Here is an introduction to three other owl species that we share the desert with. The Elf Owl below was roosting in a cavity created by woodpeckers in a telephone pole. The only lighting available for this photo was a flashlight, and not a camera flash. Photos of these Elf Owls were taken early in June. Elf Owls are not only the smallest owls in the world but the smallest raptors. Adults are about 5” tall--think of an index card or a juice box. Here is the male Elf Owl ready to deliver an insect to the female and owlets in the nest. Elf Owls ar
