Typical Owls (Strigidae)

Mountain Pygmy-owl (Glaucidium gnoma) - HBW 5, p. 211

French: Chevêchette naine German: Gnomenkauz Spanish: Mochuelo Gnomo
Other common names: Northern Pygmy-owl(!), American/Mexican Pygmy-owl

Taxonomy: Glaucidium Gnoma Wagler, 1832, Mexico.
Sometimes considered to form superspecies with G. passerinum, G. brodiei, G. perlatum and G. californicum, and including recently separated G. cobanense and G. hoskinsii, but DNA evidence clearly shows that G. passerinum and G. californicum are not closely related. Formerly considered to include last 3 as races, but these split on basis of vocalizations and/or DNA evidence. Perhaps closely related to G. costaricanum, which has recently been considered conspecific with present species by some authors. Monotypic.

Distribution: From SE Arizona S through interior highlands of Mexico (from Chihuahua and Coahuila S to Oaxaca).