Whiskered Screech-owl, Whiskered owl, Spotted Screech owl, Arizona Whiskered owl, Whiskered screech owl
The whiskered screech owl (Megascops trichopsis ) is a small screech owl found in North and Central America.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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Ambush predatorAmbush predators are carnivorous animals that capture or trap prey by stealth, luring, or by (typically instinctive) strategies utilizing an elemen...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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Serial monogamySerial monogamy is a mating system in which a pair bonds only for one breeding season.
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Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Whiskered screech owl is a small screech owl found in North and Central America. Adult birds occur in 2 color morphs, in either brown or dark grey plumage. They have a round head with ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a yellowish bill. These birds look very similar to Western screech owls, but have heavier barring on the breast, and are slightly smaller in size.
The range of Whiskered screech owls extends from southeasternmost Arizona (the Madrean sky islands region) in the United States, southwards through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, to north-central Nicaragua. They inhabit dense coniferous or oak woodlands, coffee plantations, or canyon forests near rivers or lakes.
Whiskered screech owls are generally solitary and outside of the breeding season they prefer to spend time singly. They are active at night or near dusk, using their excellent hearing and night vision to locate prey. These birds wait on a perch until the prey is spotted and then swoop down to capture it with their talons. They can also catch insects in flight. The most common call of Whiskered screech owls is a series of about 8 regularly spaced "boo" notes, slightly higher in the middle, slightly lower at each end.
Whiskered screech owls are carnivores. They mainly eat small mammals and large insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, moths, crickets, and caterpillars.
Whiskered screech owls are serially monogamous; they form pairs that usually remain together for at least one mating season. Breeding usually occurs in April and May. Pairs nest in a tree cavity or old woodpecker hole 5 to 7 meters above the ground. Females lay a clutch of 3 to 4 eggs and incubate them alone for about 26 days. Owlets hatch completely helpless, blind, with pinkish skin and white downy feathers. They fledge 24-30 days later but parents usually continue to feed them for some time more.
Whiskered screech owls don't face any major threats at present. However, in some areas of their range these birds suffer from habitat loss and continuous disturbances such as eco-tourism and recreational development.
According to the New Mexico Avian Conservation Partners Website (NMACP) the total population size of the Whiskered screech owl is around 200,000 individuals, less than 5% of which occurs in the United States. In New Mexico, the population in surveyed canyons in the Peloncillo Mountains numbers some 20-25 pairs. Overall, currently this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are increasing.
