Elf Owl

 

The world’s smallest raptor, the diminutive Elf Owl, is not much bigger than a juice box. They live in dry thorn forests, deserts, pine-oak forests, and riparian woodlands of the southern border of the United States and Mexico.

Like many of the songbirds in these habitats, Elf Owls nest in old woodpecker holes and similar cavities, which provide relief from heat, shelter from rain, and protection from predators.

Lots of raptors catch snakes for food—but Elf Owls do something stranger. They catch thread snakes (also known as blind snakes) and bring them back to the nest, alive, where the snakes eat parasites that might otherwise harm the owl's nestlings. Cornell All About Birds