Whiskered Screech Owl (Megascops trichopsis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Whiskered Screech Owl

Megascops trichopsis (Wagler, 1832)

88 gWeight

The whiskered screech owl (Megascops trichopsis) is a small screech owl found in North and Central America.

Busiest months: May · Most records: United States, Mexico, Honduras

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: May · Most records: United States, Mexico, Honduras

Whiskered Screech Owl has been recorded at 27 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 4 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Madera Canyon – Santa Rita LodgeUnited States1,335 records
  2. Cave Creek Canyon – South ForkUnited States890 records
  3. Ramsey Canyon PreserveUnited States487 records
More places
  1. Reserva de La Chara PintaMexico203 records
  2. Madera Canyon – Proctor Rd.United States186 records
  3. Reserva Ecológica Sierra de San Juan – La NoriaMexico143 records
  4. PortalUnited States111 records
  5. Portal – Cave Creek RanchUnited States68 records
  6. Montaña de Izopo – Sector Las MorasHonduras65 records
  7. Godinez – Aldea Los RoblesGuatemala51 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesMexicoHondurasGuatemala

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 whiskered screech owl (Megascops trichopsis) is a small screech owl found in North and Central America.

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

Questions

How big is the Whiskered Screech Owl?

The Whiskered Screech Owl weighs around 88 g.

Where does the Whiskered Screech Owl live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America: southeastern Arizona to north-central Nicaragua. It is most often recorded in United States, Mexico and Honduras.

When is the best time to see the Whiskered Screech Owl?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in May (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Whiskered Screech Owl endangered?

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

What does the Whiskered Screech Owl eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Whiskered Screech Owl in?

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

At a glance

Weight
88 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
149 mm
Tail
77 mm
Bill
20 mm
Tarsus
25 mm

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

Range

North America, Middle America: southeastern Arizona to north-central Nicaragua

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Owls Strigidae
Genus
Megascops

Other birds in the genus Megascops

Bare-shanked Screech OwlBare-shanked Screech OwlMegascops clarkiiWhite-throated Screech OwlWhite-throated Screech OwlMegascops albogularisTropical Screech OwlTropical Screech OwlMegascops cholibaBearded 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
Whiskered Screech Owl

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

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