Western Screech-Owl

Megascops kennicottiiOrder: STRIGIFORMES Family: True Owls (Strigidae)

Codes: Common Name: WESO Scientific Name: MEGKEN ITIS Taxonomic No.: 686659

Breeding Location:

Forest edge

Breeding Type:

Monogamous

Breeding Population:

Fairly common to common, Widespread

Egg Color:

White

Number of Eggs:

3 - 4

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Cavity nester. Use cavities in cliffs, natural tree cavities and old woodpecker holes.

Migration:

Nonmigratory

General

Western Screech-Owl: Small owl (kennicotti), with distinct ear tufts, brown- or gray-mottled upperparts, white spots on shoulders, and streaked and barred underparts. Facial disk is lightly mottled and has prominent dark rim. Eyes are bright yellow and bill is dark gray. Sexes are similar. Juvenile may be downy.

Range and Habitat

Western Screech-Owl: Common resident in much of the western U.S., Canada, and Mexico in a variety of habitats. Preferred habitats include open woods, especially oak, mixed pine/oak, and sycamore.

Breeding and Nesting

Western Screech-Owl: Nests in a tree cavity, usually 6 to 20 feet above ground; readily uses suitable nest boxes. Two to six white eggs are laid on natural sawdust on the floor of the cavity. Female incubates for 21 to 30 days.

Foraging and Feeding

Western Screech-Owl: Diet largely consists of insects, small mammals, birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, and crayfish. Nocturnal, usually begins foraging 45 minutes after sundown and returns to daytime roost within 30 minutes of sunrise; drops from perch to capture prey.

Vocalization

Western Screech-Owl: Most common call is a mellow, muted trill "hoo-hoo-hoo" that speeds up at the end but maintains a constant pitch. Secondary song is a double trill of rapid bursts. Others include a soft "cr-r-oo-oo-oo-oo" given as a greeting, and a sharp bark given when excited.

Similar Species

Western Screech-Owl: Eastern Screech-Owl is smaller and paler, with pale, yellow-tinged bill.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Western Screech-Owl

Western Screech-Owl: Small owl (kennicotti), distinct ear tufts, brown- or gray-mottled upperparts, white shoulder spots, streaked, barred underparts. Lightly mottled facial disk, has prominent dark rim. Yellow eyes, dark gray bill. Until recently considered the same species as Eastern Screech-Owl.

● Song: "hoo-hoo-hoo", "cr-r-oo-oo-oo"

● Foraging & Feeding: Western Screech-Owl: Diet largely consists of insects, small mammals, birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, and crayfish. Nocturnal, usually begins foraging 45 minutes after sundown and returns to daytime roost within 30 minutes of sunrise; drops from perch to capture prey.

● Breeding & nesting: Western Screech-Owl: Nests in a tree cavity, usually 6 to 20 feet above ground; readily uses suitable nest boxes. Two to six white eggs are laid on natural sawdust on the floor of the cavity. Female incubates for 21 to 30 days.

● Similar species: Western Screech-Owl: Eastern Screech-Owl is smaller and paler, with pale, yellow-tinged bill.

Flight Pattern

Silent wing beats., Bouyant flight.

Western Screech-Owl (northwest coast kennicotti) Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Western Screech-Owl: Common resident in much of the western U.S., Canada, and Mexico in a variety of habitats. Preferred habitats include open woods, especially oak, mixed pine/oak, and sycamore.

^BreedingMonogamous

^PopulationFairly common to common, Widespread

^MigrationNonmigratory

^Weight5.4 Ounces

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America