One of the most thrilling moments came in Ecuador when Mahrt helped catch a rare cloud forest pygmy owl. “Holding such an elusive species was unforgettable,” she said. “It reminded me how ...

Cloud-forest pygmy-owl (Glaucidium nubicola) at las Gralarias. This species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. Photo by: Winnie Poon. Jane Lyons: I think the main challenge is that ...

Another method to finding this arch-enemy of small forest birds is to track down the protestations of a band of birds. Occasionally, you’ll find it’s the pygmy owl being the center of ...