Western Screech Owl

Western Screech Owl

Western screech-owl, Little horned owl, Dusk owl, Ghost owl, Mouse owl, Cat owl, Little cat owl, Puget Sound screech owl, Washington screech owl, Coastal screech owl

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Megascops kennicottii
Population size
400,000
Life Span
13 years
Weight
100-305
3.5-10.8
goz
g oz 
Length
19-25
7.5-9.8
cminch
cm inch 
Wingspan
55-62
21.7-24.4
cminch
cm inch 

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.

Cr

Crepuscular

No

Nocturnal

Ca

Carnivore

In

Insectivores

Pi

Piscivores

Ar

Arboreal

Am

Ambush predator

Al

Altricial

Te

Terrestrial

Te

Territorial

Mo

Monogamy

So

Social

No

Not a migrant

Mi

Migrating

W

starts with

Appearance

Western screech owls are small birds of prey native to North and Central America. They exist in several morphs: brown Pacific, grey Pacific, Great Plains, Mojave, and Mexican. All have either brown or dark gray plumage with streaking on the underparts. These owls 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. Female Western screech owls are larger than males and northern populations are notably larger than southern populations.

Distribution

Geography

Western screech owls are native to Canada, United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. They are permanent residents within their range and live in temperate forests, subtropical and tropical montane forests, shrubland, desert, rural fields, and even suburban parks and gardens.

Western Screech Owl habitat map

Climate zones

Western Screech Owl habitat map
Western Screech Owl
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Habits and Lifestyle

Western screech owls are active at dawn, night, or near dusk, using their excellent hearing and night vision to locate prey. They hunt by waiting on perches and then swoop down on unsuspecting prey and also catch insects in flight; they may even walk on the ground looking for something to feast on. Western screech owls live in pairs all year round and communicate with each other using various calls. The primary call is an accelerating series of short whistles at an increasing tempo or a short then long trill falling slightly at the end. Other calls include barking, chuckling, and a high pitched screech.

Group name
Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Western screech owls are carnivores. Their diet includes mainly small mammals such as mice or rats, birds, and large insects; however, they are opportunistic predators and can even take small trout at night. They have also been known to hunt Mallard ducks and cottontail rabbits, occasionally.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
REPRODUCTION SEASON
February/March to mid-May
INCUBATION PERIOD
26 days
INDEPENDENT AGE
9-10 weeks
BABY NAME
owlet, fledgling
web.animal_clutch_size
2-5 eggs

Western screech owls are monogamous and form pairs; however, both partners may sometimes mate outside the pair. The breeding season starts in February or March and lasts until mid-May. During this time Western screech owls become very vocal and as a part of courtship, they perform duets and preen each other. Pairs often nest in holes in trees or cacti that were opened by woodpeckers. The female lays 2 to 5 white eggs and incubates them alone about 26 days while the male provides her some food and defends a small territory around the nest-site. Owlets are born blind and helpless. They fledge about 28 days after hatching and become completely independent from their parents 5 or 6 weeks later.

Population

Population threats

Western screech owls are common throughout their range, however, in some areas they do suffer from habitat loss, disturbances during nesting, and also collisions with vehicles and powerlines.

Population number

According to the All About Birds resource the total breeding population size of the Western screech owl is around 400,000 breeding birds. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.

Fun Facts for Kids

  • Until the 1980s, Western and Eastern screech-owls were considered to be the same species because they are very similar in appearance; however, they have different calls and it is thought that they can recognize their own kind by sound.
  • The word ‘owl’ came from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘ule’, which was derived from the Latin word ‘ululo’ and means 'to cry out'.
  • Due to their coloration, Western screech owls blend in perfectly with the tree bark. When sensing danger the owl will straighten its body, close its eyes, and freezes hoping to fool potential predators.
  • Western screech owls become very aggressive when defending their nest site and won't hesitate to attack even humans.
  • Some owl species have a thick layer of feathers on their legs and feet; these feathers protect them from cold and may also save from snake and rat bites.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Western Screech Owl on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_screech_owl
2. Western Screech Owl on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22688747/93207555
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/663948

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