The Eurasian Pygmy Owl is a hole-nester that is entirely dependent on old woodpecker holes in older coniferous forest.
Nest site: abandoned nest holes of the Great Spotted Woodpecker, usually 3–8 metres up in stout spruces or pines.
Nest box: it will also take a nest box put up with an entrance the size of a woodpecker hole, which is the best way to attract the species in old spruce forest.
Breeding: 4–7 white, round eggs are laid in the hole and incubated by the female alone for 28–29 days, with one brood per season.
Since the species cannot excavate its own nest hole, the availability of old woodpecker holes and dead wood is decisive for where it can breed.