thumb|Western screech owl in the Pacific Northwest

The western screech owl (Megascops kennicottii) is a small owl native to North and Central America, closely related to the eastern screech owl. The scientific name commemorates the American naturalist Robert Kennicott.

Description

Length averages , wingspan , and weight . Weight ranges from . 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.

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.

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.

Call

The primary call is an accelerating series of short whistles at an increasing tempo or a short then long trill falling slightly at end. Other calls: barking and chuckling, similar to the eastern screech owl.

Range and habitat

The western screech owl is native to Canada, United States, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. Once a male and female become a pair, they produce a clutch of 2–7 eggs.

Nesting

Rather than living in traditional nests, Western Screech Owls reside in cavities in trees, banks, or cliffs. Of these cavities, the tree species vary. They include, but are not limited to oaks, willows, cottonwoods, and cacti. Their diet varies based on the season and where exactly they reside.

  • Megascops kennicottii aikeni Brewster, 1891
  • Megascops kennicottii bendirei (Brewster, 1882)
  • Megascops kennicottii cardonensis (Huey, 1926)
  • Megascops kennicottii kennicottii (Elliot, 1867)
  • Megascops kennicottii macfarlanei Brewster, 1891
  • Megascops kennicottii suttoni (R. T. Moore, 1941)
  • Megascops kennicottii vinaceus Brewster, 1888
  • Megascops kennicottii xantusi Brewster, 1902
  • Megascops kennicottii yumanensis (A. H. Miller & L. Miller, 1951)

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western-screech-owl.jpg|Captive bird at the Desert Museum

Western Screech Owl In Hole.jpg|Nest hole

Western Screech-Owl (Megascops kennicottii) (17026365169).jpg|Perched

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Notes

References

  • National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North &ndash; America
  • Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol 5, J. del Hoyo, editor.
  • (CC) bird calls of Tecolote occidental, Western Screech-Owl, Western Screech Owl, (Otus kennicotti), (Scops kennicottii), (Otus kennicottii)