Owls of the World
Pygmy Owl
Glaucidium passerinum

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This owl will sit almost upright or slanting across its perch. Its relatively long tail is often raised above the drooping tips of its wings, and may be swayed from side to side, giving the owl an air of urgent, nervous activity. The bird is speckled with white all over its forehead and crown, liberally spotted above and neatly barred over its flight feathers and tail. Around the back of the neck is a prominent band of white and around each eye there are broken, concentric rings of white. The cold, yellow eyes are small, closely set and almost squint at times, giving this owl a look to match its predatory skills. But, though these eyes are larger than the ears, their night vision is inferior to those of other owls, and more comparable to that of a human being.

It's distribution runs from the Nordic countries east to Siberia and turns south somewhat to the east, with a few pockets in central and eastern Europe.

Reference:

Hume Rob, Illustrated by Trevor Boyer. Owls of the World, London: Parkgate Books, 1997.