Northern pygmy owls are widespread across North America. They usually live in the scattered areas with less trees, rather than large parts of land with lots of unbroken trees. Northern pygmy owls are most active during the dawn or the dusk. Northern pygmy owls can also be seen in the daytime, when the weather is overcast. They like to perch on conifer or small trees, or in a snag. When they perch, they bob their head up and down, and flick their tails, and hold their tails to one side.