Tropical Screech Owl (Megascops choliba)
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Tropical Screech Owl

Megascops choliba (Vieillot, 1817)

21–23 cmLength132 gWeight

The tropical screech owl (Megascops choliba) is a small species of owl in the family Strigidae.

Most records: Colombia, Brazil, Argentina

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Tropical Screech Owl has been recorded at 556 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 15 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Sani LodgeEcuador873 records
  2. RN Laguna de SonsoColombia809 records
  3. Caroni SwampTrinidad & Tobago662 records
More places
  1. Hotel Tinamú Birding Nature ReserveColombia652 records
  2. Canopy LodgePanama591 records
  3. PE IntervalesBrazil512 records
  4. PN Chapada dos Guimarães – Pousada do ParqueBrazil458 records
  5. Carapicuíba – Condomínio Palos VerdesBrazil457 records
  6. RN Rancho CamanáColombia434 records
  7. Manu BiolodgePeru429 records

Countries and regions with the most records

ColombiaBrazilArgentinaEcuadorPeruTrinidad & TobagoCosta RicaPanama

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The tropical screech owl (Megascops choliba) is a small species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad, and every mainland South American country.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Tropical Screech Owl?

The Tropical Screech Owl is about 21–23 cm long and weighs around 132 g.

Where does the Tropical Screech Owl live?

Its breeding range: Middle America, South America: Costa Rica to northeastern Argentina. It is most often recorded in Colombia, Brazil and Argentina.

Is the Tropical Screech Owl endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Tropical Screech Owl as Least Concern.

What does the Tropical Screech Owl eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Tropical Screech Owl in?

It belongs to the family Owls (Strigidae), order Strigiformes.

At a glance

Length
21–23 cm
Weight
132 g
Habitat
Towns & farmland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
163 mm
Tail
91 mm
Bill
22 mm
Tarsus
30 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Middle America, South America: Costa Rica to northeastern Argentina

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Owls Strigidae
Genus
Megascops

Other birds in the genus Megascops

Whiskered Screech OwlWhiskered Screech OwlMegascops trichopsisBare-shanked Screech OwlBare-shanked Screech OwlMegascops clarkiiWhite-throated Screech OwlWhite-throated Screech OwlMegascops albogularisBearded Screech OwlBearded Screech OwlMegascops barbarusPacific Screech OwlPacific Screech OwlMegascops cooperiWestern Screech OwlWestern Screech OwlMegascops kennicottiiEastern Screech OwlEastern Screech OwlMegascops asioBalsas Screech OwlBalsas Screech OwlMegascops seductusMiddle American Screech OwlMiddle American Screech OwlMegascops guatemalaeKoepcke's Screech OwlKoepcke's Screech OwlMegascops koepckeaeRufescent Screech OwlRufescent Screech OwlMegascops ingensCinnamon Screech OwlCinnamon Screech OwlMegascops petersoni
Tropical Screech Owl

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by DavidLarson. ↗

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