Athene noctua
System : Terrestrial
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Animalia
Chordata
Aves
Strigiformes
Strigidae
  • Not Evaluated
    NE
  • No Alien Population
    NA
  • Data Deficient
    DD
  • Minimal Concern
    MC
  • Minor
    MN
  • Moderate
    MO
  • Major
    MR
  • Massive
    MV
  • General
  • Distribution
  • Impact
  • Management
  • Bibliography
  • Contact
Common name
 
Synonym
Similar species
Summary

Principal source:

Compiler:

Review:

Publication date:

Recommended citation: Global Invasive Species Database (2025) Species profile: Athene noctua. Downloaded from http://iucngisd.org/gisd/speciesname/Athene+noctua on 05-02-2025.

Countries (or multi-country features) with distribution records for Athene noctua
ALIEN RANGE
NATIVE RANGE
Informations on Athene noctua has been recorded for the following locations. Click on the name for additional informations.
Lorem Ipsum
Location Status Invasiveness Occurrence Source
Details of Athene noctua in information
Status
Invasiveness
Arrival date
Occurrence
Source
Introduction
Species notes for this location
Location note
Management notes for this location
Impact
Mechanism:
Outcome:
Ecosystem services:
Management information
Bibliography
7 references found for Athene noctua

Management information
Glue, D. E. (1972). Bird prey taken by British owls. Bird Study 19, 91-96
General information
Barratt, B.I.P. (2007). Conservation status of Prodontria (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) species in New Zealand. J Insect Conserv 11, 29–30 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-007-9067-8
Hounsome, T., O'Mahony, D.& Delahay, R. (2004). The diet of Little Owls Athene noctua in Gloucestershire, England, Bird Study, 51:3, 282-284, DOI: 10.1080/00063650409461366
Marples, B.J., (1942). A Study of the Little Owl, Athene noctua, in New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
Thomas, A.C.W. (2013). Little owl. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz.
Troup, C. (2021). 'Introduced land birds - Little owls', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/introduced-land-birds/page-4
Watt, J.C. (1979). Conservation of the Cromwell chafer Prodontria lewisi (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). New Zealand Journal of Ecology 2: 22-29.
Contact
The following 0 contacts offer information an advice on Athene noctua
MN
Athene noctua
Date assessed
2021-09-09
Year published
2022
Eicat category
MN (Minor)
Justification for EICAT assessment


The nests, pellets, gizzards and stomachs of Little Owls contained mainly invertebrates and some small vertebrates (e.g. birds, rodents). There is no evidence that this has caused a decline of these species. It is the only known predator of the Cromwell Chafer Beetle (Prodontria lewisi), but the overall effect of predation on the population of P. lewisi is unknown (Marples 1942, Glue 1972, Watt 1979, Hounsome et al. 2004, Barratt 2007, Troup 2021).
Confidence rating
Low
Mechanism(s) of maximum impact
Predation
Countries of most severe impact
United Kingdom; New Zealand
Description of impacts
The Little Owl preys on several invertebrate and occasionally on small vertebrate species.
Assessor
Thomas Evans; Tom Allmert
Contributors
Reviewers
EICAT authority
Recommended citation
Thomas Evans, Tom Allmert (2025). Athene noctua. IUCN Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT).