Black-capped Screech Owl

Overview

The black-capped screech owl, or variable screech owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae found in South America. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though its exact population numbers and trends remain unknown.

Identification

• 22 to 23 cm long with males weighing 115 to 140 g and females up to 160 g.
• Occurs in brown, rufous, and gray morphs, all featuring a light facial disc with a distinct dark border, a blackish crown, and prominent ear tufts.
• Eyes range from dark brown to amber, and the brown morph displays dark brown upperparts with pale mottling and a line of pale spots on the folded wing.
• Primary song is a long, fast trill that starts faint and ends abruptly, while the secondary song has a bouncing-ball rhythm; both sexes sing in duet.

Habitat

Found in southeastern Brazil, southeastern Paraguay, and extreme northeastern Argentina, the species inhabits lowland rainforests, forest edges, open woodlands, and secondary forests. It occurs from sea level up to 600 m in the north and 300 m in the south, though it may struggle to survive in small remnant reserves.

Diet

The owl primarily hunts in the forest canopy from a perch but also forages in undergrowth. Its diet consists mainly of insects and likely includes small vertebrates.

Did you know?

This species may be semi-colonial, as individuals have been recorded nesting close to one another, although its breeding season, appearing to include October and November, has not been fully defined.