The elf owl has fared well, however, and has even exploited the dry conditions by using the cavities of trees and cacti as a nest site, usually an old woodpecker hole. These cavities are of ...

Elf owls are compact little birds, with yellow eyes, short tails, no ear tufts and larger-than-usual heads for their body size ...

Found primarily in the Southwestern United States and Mexico, the elf owl population is concentrated in deserts and woodlands where they can nest in tree cavities, particularly in saguaro cactuses.