Little Owl Athene Noctua Royalty-Free Stock Photo

The Little Owl Athene noctua is a bird which is resident in much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, Asia east to Korea, and north Africa. This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. The other grouping is the barn owls, Tytonidae. The Little Owl is a small owl, 23-27.5 cm in length. The adult Little Owl of the most widespread form, the nominate A. n. noctua, is white-speckled brown above, and brown-streaked white below. It has a large head, long legs, and yellow eyes, and its white “eyebrows” give it a stern expression. This species has a bounding flight like a woodpecker. Juveniles are duller, and lack the adult`s white crown spots. The call is a querulous kee-ik.