Western Screech-Owl
Megascops kennicottii
Pint-sized, cryptically patterned gray owl with fine streaks of black and white; short ear tufts. Found in a variety of wooded habitats, but favors riparian and deciduous areas. Can be found in urban areas and parks. Feeds mostly on small mammals, birds, and insects. Nests in cavities. Listen for its voice at night: a series of short whistled notes that accelerates at the end. Unlike counterpart, Eastern Screech-Owl, they do not have a rufous color morph, only gray morph.
Identification
Length averages 22 cm (8.7 in), wingspan 55 cm (22 in), and weight 143 g (5.0 oz). Weight ranges from 88 to 220 g (3.1 to 7.8 oz). Females are larger than males and northern populations are notably larger than southern populations. Adults are larger than whiskered screech owls, with larger feet and a more streaked plumage pattern.<p>There are several morphs: brown Pacific, grey Pacific, Great Plains, Mojave, and Mexican. All have either brown or dark gray plumage with streaking on the underparts. There is no red morph. This brown and gray streaky coloring allows the owl to camouflage with trees and hide from predators.<p>They have a round head with ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a yellowish bill. Their appearance is quite similar to whiskered and eastern screech owls, so it is best to identify them by their calls. They were previously considered to be the same species as the eastern screech owl.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Megascops kennicottii
- Authority
- (Elliot, DG, 1867)
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Megascops
Range and habitat
The western screech owl is native to Canada, United States, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.Its habitat includes temperate forests, subtropical and tropical montane forests, shrubland, desert, rural fields, and even suburban parks and gardens.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
Although the western screech owl is slowly declining in the Pacific Northwest, the species is considered "of low conservation concern" due to their nocturnality and general ability to live alongside humans in surrounding trees. Their population is estimated to be 180,000 according to the Avian Conservation Assessment Database Scores. In areas densely populated by people, human noise can be a disturbance to their creation of nest cavities and human devastation of forests negatively affects their habitat. Climate disasters such as fires and heat waves can endanger their livelihood. Humans have made efforts to provide manmade shelter, such as nest boxes, for western screech owls. The owls have proven to be receptive to these habitats.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black-crested Titmouse
Baeolophus atricristatus
Fairly common but restricted to brushy oak woodlands in Texas and northeastern Mexico. Gray overall with paler underparts, orangey sides, and distinctive black crest. Often in flocks with other small songbirds. Listen for clear whistled song and harsh scolds. Visits feeders.
Arafura Shrikethrush
Colluricincla megarhyncha
A chunky bird with a notably thick bill. Shows lots of geographical variation. For example, birds in some areas are grayish with a black bill, pale face, and dull cinnamon wash below; in other areas birds are dark brown on the upperparts and rich rufous below with a pale bill. Found at low and middle elevations in a variety of humid forest, including secondary forest, swamp forest, and mangroves. Rich, melodious, variable song consists of several penetrating whistles, generally in an up-and-down pattern, often ending with one or more exuberant upslurred notes. Calls include “chek” and “whit” notes. Somewhat similar to Rusty Pitohui, but smaller, with a dark rather than pale eye. Similar in size and shape to Sooty Shrikethrush and Black Pitohui, but never as uniformly dark. Also similar to Gray Shrikethrush, but smaller and browner, with some breast streaking.
Stripe-headed Sparrow
Peucaea ruficauda
Fairly common and conspicuous sparrow of dry, scrubby woodlands and brushy fields in tropical lowlands and foothills. Usually in small groups, which keep in touch with squeaky chattering calls. Often seen perched on fences. Bold head pattern is distinctive, with big black mask, bold white eyebrow, and blackish crown. Southern populations have variable dusky mottling on the breast.
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