Tamaulipas, Mexico 2006 |
Since its split from Least Pygmy-Owl, the Tamaulipas Pgymy-Owl Glaucidium sanchezi has become one of Mexico's most range-restricted endemics, known to occur in just a small part of southwestern Tamaulipas and neighboring San Luis Potosi (plus possibly extreme northern Veracruz). during my visit to Rancho del Cielo at least two pairs were present in the vicinity of the Research Station, with one pair apparently nesting in a tree among the cabins. Its slow, two- or three-note call (plus occasionally the high, level-pitch introductory trill), was a common sound at dawn, dusk, and irregularly during the day - especially mid-afternoon:
This cooperative bird showed the kids how effective are its "false eyes" on the back of the head:
The pair using the immediate cabin area went into this branch cavity (c. 30 feet up a tall deciduous tree) a number of times, and seemed to spend the night there, so I suspect that they are nesting. Interestingly, I saw a Mottled Owl at dawn fly into a larger cavity in the trunk of this same tree..:
