Who's Who

Who's Who?
Northern Pygmy owls are small birds of prey, native to Colorado, that prefer to nest in unused holes in aspen trees. Unlike many other... more

by Beverley Harper Tinsley

Original - Sold

Price

$215

Dimensions

10.500 x 9.000 inches

Title

Who's Who

Artist

Beverley Harper Tinsley

Medium

Painting - Watercolor And Graphite

Description

Who's Who?
Northern Pygmy owls are small birds of prey, native to Colorado, that prefer to nest in unused holes in aspen trees. Unlike many other owls, these tiny raptors are active during the daytime, as are all pygmy owls. In painting this pair, I wanted to focus on the intense expression, more than making a wholly realistic portrait, although I did choose to work in warm earthy shades of brown, orange and rust, that may be seen in nature.
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Two small owls perch close together on an aspen branch against a warm autumnal background of burnt orange and green. Are they siblings or mates?
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According to:
http://owls-perch.blogspot.com/2012/11/owl-of-week-northern-pygmy-owl.html
These little owls are particularly interesting owls. Everything about them, from size to nesting habits, is a little different from most owls. For one thing, they're the smallest species of owl in Colorado, and the second-smallest in the United States. They only stand a few inches tall, and weigh in at just 2-2.5 ounces, about as much as a slice of bread or ten quarters. But, like most of the small owls (and large owls, for that matter), they are much tougher and more aggressive than their body size implies, and are willing to take on prey much larger than they seem able to kill, such as quail. Smaller prey, however, is the norm, including small birds, rodents, and large juicy insects.
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Their tails are proportionally long for an owl; their eyes are bright yellow; and there are two dark spots on the nape of the neck, on the back of the head, that look like false eyes.
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They are also the only local species of owl that is truly diurnal. Northern Pygmy Owls, therefore, are missing many of the adaptations common among other owls, such as silent flight, above-average hearing, and night vision.
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Northern Pygmy Owls live in the western United States, southwestern Canada, and in Mexico south through Guatemala. Their preferred habitat is forest, ranging in elevation up to treeline. They spend the majority of their time in the thicketed areas of forests, where they hunt from perches and fly rapidly between trees for cover.
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Northern Pygmy Owls are almost entirely dependent on woodpecker holes to build their nests. They live alone the majority of the year, only coming together during mating season. Unlike most owls, the female doesn't start incubating the eggs until they are all laid, which happens over the course of a week.

Uploaded

October 22nd, 2015