Elf owl
Micrathene whitneyi

Size: 6 inches
Overall Color: gray
Occurrence: widespread
Diet: insects, other arthropods, shrews
Nest: cavity
Field Identification: smallest owl, yellow eyes, short tail, no ear tufts, nocturnal
Season: summer

Kingdom: Animalia (Animals)
Phylum: Chordata (hollow nerve cord)
Subphylum: Vertebrata (backbone)
Class: Aves (Birds)
Order: Strigiformes
Family: 38 Strigidae (owls)
Genus: Micrathene
Species: whitneyi