Little Owl

The little owl, also known as the owl of Athena or of Minerva, is a small, mainly nocturnal, cryptically coloured owl about 22 cm long, with a flat-topped head, a plump, compact body and a short tail. It inhabits much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, the Palearctic east to Korea and North Africa, and its Eurasian range extends south to the Himalaya. It is found in a range of habitats including farmland, woodland fringes, steppes and semi-deserts (Wikipedia, general species account).

It feeds on insects, earthworms, other invertebrates and small vertebrates. It is a cavity nester, laying about four eggs in spring; the female incubates while the male brings food, first for her and later for the newly hatched young, and both parents hunt as the chicks grow, which leave the nest at about seven weeks. Its life expectancy is about 16 years. The cached account is largely about Europe (Wikipedia, general species account).