Pernambuco Pygmy-Owl: Caburé-de-pernambuco facing extinction

Pernambuco Pygmy-owl Glaucidium mooreorum

IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered, Possibly Extinct

Location: Brazil

Found only in Pernambuco state, Brazil, this elusive owl inhabits the lowland humid forests of the Atlantic Forest biome in the Pernambuco Endemism Centre.

Appearance and behaviour

Also known as the caburé-de-pernambuco, the Pernambuco Pygmy Owl is a delicately patterned raptor with a light grey-chestnut crown and chestnut back. Their face and head are speckled with brilliant white spots, giving them an alert, watchful look, while their white collar and white underparts are streaked with rufous. Their short tail is dark with distinct broken white bars. The species emits a short series of 5–7 sharp notes, rising in pitch—its call echoing faintly through the forest. They are most vocally active during the rainy season in April and May.

Diet of the caburé de pernambuco

The only documented observation of the Pernambuco Pygmy Owl feeding describes one individual eating a large cicada. Like other pygmy owls, their diet likely includes insects, small reptiles, amphibians, and perhaps small birds and mammals.

Reproduction and mating

Very little is known about the breeding habits of this elusive owl. Their peak vocal activity during April and May suggests this could be their mating season, aligned with the onset of the wet season in the Atlantic Forest. No nests or juveniles have ever been observed.

Geographic range in northeast Brazil

This owl is endemic to the Pernambuco state of northeastern Brazil. All known records come from lowland secondary forest within the Reserva Biológica de Saltinho and another site nearby, both below 150 metres in elevation. These forests are part of the Atlantic Forest’s Pernambuco Endemism Centre—a region that has lost over 95% of its native vegetation. No confirmed sightings have occurred since 2001 despite extensive targeted surveys.

Threats facing the Pernambuco Pygmy-Owl

• Complete destruction of native lowland Atlantic Forest in Pernambuco due to palm oil, soy, sugar cane and meat agriculture.

• Sugarcane plantations have replaced vast areas of habitat.
• Ongoing illegal logging, fire, and habitat destruction despite legal protections.
• Hunting and human persecution may still pose a threat.
• The species’ extremely limited range makes them highly vulnerable to extinction.

Take action!

Help stop the extinction of rare and beautiful species like the Pernambuco Pygmy Owl. Boycott palm oil and industrial agriculture that fuel deforestation across South America. Support indigenous-led agroecology efforts and forest restoration projects. Speak out against deforestation and habitat loss in Brazil. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat

FAQs: Pernambuco Pygmy Owl facts

What does the Pernambuco Pygmy-Owl sound like?

The caburé de pernambuco call is a short, haunting series of 5 to 7 sharp, rising whistled notes. This distinctive vocalisation is actually one of the few pieces of evidence that confirms that the caburé-de-pernambuco exists at all. Because this tiny raptor is extraordinarily secretive and dense forest makes visual sightings almost impossible, researchers rely almost entirely on sound recordings to detect them. Furthermore, the caburé-de-pernambuco call differs slightly from related Glaucidium species in its pace and pitch. Consequently, trained ornithologists can identify them by ear alone. No new recordings have been confirmed since 2001.

How many Pernambuco Pygmy-Owls are left in the wild?

The Pernambuco Pygmy-Owl population is almost certainly at a catastrophic low. If the caburé-de-pernambuco still survives at all, the IUCN estimates fewer than 50 mature individuals remain. Extensive targeted surveys between 2001 and 2019 failed to confirm a single new sighting. Furthermore, the Pernambuco Centre of Endemism, their only known home, has lost over 95% of its native forest cover. Consequently, the IUCN officially lists them as Critically Endangered and possibly extinct. Their silence in the forest for over two decades speaks for itself.

What is the lifespan of the Caburé-de-pernambuco?

While there are no specific studies on this species’ lifespan, similar pygmy owls in the Glaucidium genus live between 6 to 10 years in the wild. However, intense threats and habitat destruction significantly shortens survival rates for any remaining individuals.

Why is the caburé-de-pernambuco so endangered?

The caburé-de-pernambuco faces extinction because their home has been almost entirely destroyed. The Pernambuco Centre of Endemism once covered approximately 39,500 square kilometres of Atlantic Forest. By 2002, just 1,900 square kilometres remained. Vast areas of this irreplaceable forest were cleared for sugarcane monocultures, palm oil, and soy agriculture. Furthermore, most of the 52 remaining forest reserves measure less than 5 square kilometres each. Illegal logging and repeated fire events continue to devastate even these tiny fragments.

What can be done to save the Pernambuco Pygmy Owl?

Saving the Pernambuco Pygmy-Owl requires urgent, large-scale action to protect and restore their remaining Atlantic Forest habitat. Researchers propose creating ecological corridors to connect isolated forest fragments across the Pernambuco Centre of Endemism. Furthermore, regional land planning must prioritise biocultural preservation over industrial agriculture. Agroecological approaches led by local and indigenous communities offer the most viable long-term path to forest recovery. Meanwhile, boycotting palm oil and meat every time you shop has an impact.

The Pernambuco Center, where this species was described, is by far the most modified region of Atlantic Forest, having declined in extent from c. 39,500 km² to c. 1,900 km² by 2002. Most of the 52 remaining reserves are less than 5 km² in size and almost none of this truly lowland (Butchart et al. 2018). Large amounts of forest were cleared to make way for plantations and agriculture (Pereira et al. 2014). The remainder is severely fragmented and legal restrictions have proven inadequate in halting deforestation from fire and illegal logging.

IUCN Red List

Support the conservation of this species

Edge of Existence

Further Information

BirdLife International. 2019. Glaucidium mooreorum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T22733081A156084939. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22733081A156084939.en. Downloaded on 15 February 2021.

Peregrine Fund. (2024). Pernambuco Pygmy Owl. Explore Raptors. Retrieved from https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/owls/pernambuco-pygmy-owl

Silva, J. M. C., Coelho, G., & Gonzaga, L. P. (2002). Discovered on the brink of extinction: A new species of Pygmy-Owl (Strigidae: Glaucidium) from Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254805348

Wikipedia contributors. (2024). Pernambuco pygmy owl. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 22, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernambuco_pygmy_owl

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