Little Owl
Athene noctua
Habitat
Ground
Diet
Invertebrate
Active Time
Nocturnal
Size
169 g
About This Species
A small, flat-headed owl of open farmland, orchards and rocky ground across much of Europe, often seen perched upright on fence posts, barn roofs or low walls well before dusk. Unlike many owls it is frequently active in daylight, especially early morning and late afternoon, bobbing its head when alert. Listen for its short, yelping call around old farm buildings, hedgerows and stone walls where it commonly nests in cavities.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Watch from a distance with binoculars rather than approaching a perch or nest cavity directly, since this species is sensitive to disturbance near breeding sites.
- It receives legal protection in most European countries, typically including its nest, eggs and young, though the precise rules differ by country.
- Avoid using playback of its call near a suspected nest site, as this can cause stress and draw attention to the location from other disturbers.
LCAvesStrigiformesStrigidae
Seasonal Activity
572,549 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
Traits
- Diet
- Invertebrate
- Foraging
- Ground
- Activity
- Nocturnal
- Body mass
- 169 g
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.