Whiskered Screech Owl

Overview

The whiskered screech owl (Megascops trichopsis) is a small screech owl found in North and Central America. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Plumage occurs in brown or dark grey morphs, featuring heavier barring on the breast than the similar western screech owl.
• The bird possesses a round head with ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a yellowish bill.
• Size ranges from 6.3 to 7.9 inches with a wingspan of 17.3 inches, making it slightly smaller than the western screech owl.
• The most common call consists of approximately eight regularly spaced 'boo' notes, slightly higher in the middle and lower at each end.

Habitat

Its range extends from southeasternmost Arizona and southwest New Mexico in the United States southwards through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, to north central Nicaragua. Breeding habitat consists of dense coniferous or oak woodlands and coffee plantations, usually occurring at higher elevations than those of the western screech owl.

Diet

These birds forage by waiting on a perch and swooping down on prey, or by capturing items in flight. Their diet mainly consists of small mammals and large insects, including grasshoppers, beetles, moths, katydids, and scorpions. They are active at night or near dusk, relying on excellent hearing and night vision to locate food.

Did you know?

They typically lay three to four eggs in April or May within a tree cavity or old woodpecker hole situated 5 to 7 meters above the ground.