Marc Hammond and the tiny owl he made famous on TikTok. Animal ExpertsAll over TikTok, users are imitating an owl, but not just any owl. Theyre mimicking one particular bird thats captivated the platform with its calm, unbothered reaction to the animal control expert holding it in now-viral video and talking about how excited he is to finally glimpse a tiny grayish-brown elf owl up close.This is the first time Ive ever seen one, Marc Hammond says in the video. Ive seen them in books and Ive seen them on television.What Are Elf Owls And Where Do They Live?Elf owls nocturnal birds that measure between 4.5 and 5.5 inches, about the size of a sparrow are native to the dry deserts of southwestern United States and northern Mexico and considered the worlds smallest owl species.Theyre very docile, Hammond, co-owner of Animal Experts Inc. Wildlife Services in Tucson, Ariz., says in the video. Theyre not threatening or aggressive like some of your bigger owls. The company handles wildlife that shows up in unexpected, and often unwelcome spaces, and frequently posts social media videos of its encounters featuring creatures like bobcats, wild boars, skunks, raccoons and rattlesnakes.Despite his 30-plus years working in animal care and control and retrieving hundreds of owls from chimneys, Hammonds enthusiasm at meeting the diminutive elf owl is abundantly clear. The owl itself, on the other hand, appears unimpressed. It blinks its round yellow eyes slowly as Hammond speaks, occasionally rotating its neck more than 180 degrees to patiently stare up at him with an expression that seems to say, Uh, are you done yet?MORE FROMFORBES VETTEDTikTok fans of the elf owl have flocked to recreate its slow, deliberate blinks and head turns set to an audio track of Hammonds narration. The video of Hammond and the owl first appeared on Facebook about a year ago. Since a digital marketing company that works with Animal Experts reposted it to TikTok last week, its been viewed more than 16 million times.Hammond admits he wasnt even familiar with TikTok until his 32-year-old stepson called a few days ago to tell him hed gone viral on the platform.I just got the biggest kick out of it, Hammond said in a phone interview. People kept saying he was giving me the stink eye. Hammond has even started his own TikTok account separate from the one for Animal Experts.Where Is Tik Toks Famous Elf Owl Now?Hammond retrieved the elf owl from a home in the Tucson suburb of Oro Valley last year after a woman called Animal Experts to report hearing noises in her attic. It turned out the owl had gotten caught in a vent leading up to the space.At first, Hammond thought hed retrieved a baby owl, but after a bit of googling, he soon realized otherwise.It didnt seem like it was doing well, Hammond recalled. Wildlife rehabilitation experts rehydrated the bird, making sure it was hale and hearty again before Animal Experts returned it to its natural habitat in the Sonora desert, a biodiverse area about 14 miles from the company.Elf owls typically nest in cavities, such as old woodpecker tree holes, that provide relief from heat and protection from rain and predators. TikToks most famous owl is presumably now perched in a cactus cavity, blissfully unaware that its sparked a TikTok trend. Even if did somehow catch wind of its online fame, it probably wouldnt shake a feather.