Photo by Seb Nadeau

While we’re probably all familiar with the crazy defensive stances of White Faced Scops or the puffed up turkey look of the Great Horned Owl, I’d never seen the Pygmy Owl do any shape shifting before. It looks so different than the normal snowman shape it normally has that I thought it was fake!

I was able to verify it though from this post from Owl Pages, which has been a reliable source for me.

An interesting note,while Pygmy Owls do not have true ear-tufts like someother species, they are able to extend their browfeathers to the side when threatened or alarmed.

Normal shape for reference.