Western Screech-Owl

Megascops kennicottiiOrder: STRIGIFORMES Family: True Owls (Strigidae)

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

Head

Topo Map: Owl-like Head

Bill Shape: Hooked
Eye Color: Lemon yellow.
Head Pattern: Eyeline, Crested or plumed, Streaked, Spotted, Special (unique patterns or features)
Crown Color: Gray with dark brown striping.
Forehead Color: Gray with dark brown striping. Palely mottled facial disk with dark border.
Nape Color: Gray with dark brown mottling.
Throat Color: Dark rim with central pale, mottled brown patch.
Cere color: Gray

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Body

Topo Map: Owl-like Body

Length Range: 18-25 cm (7-10 in)
Weight: 153 g (5.4 oz)
Size: Size 2. Small (5 - 9 in)
Color: Brown, Black, Gray, Rufous or Rust
Underparts: Pale gray with gray to brown streaking.
Upperparts: Gray with gray to brown streaking.
Back Pattern: Striped or streaked
Belly Pattern: Striped or streaked, Mottled
Breast Pattern: Striped or streaked, Mottled

Flight

Topo Map: Owl-like Flight

Flight Pattern: Silent wing beats., Bouyant flight.
Wingspan Range: 51 cm (20 in)
Wing Shape: Broad-Wings
Tail Shape: Squared Tail
Tail Pattern: Brown overall with faint spotting.
Upper Tail: Gray with dark streaking and barring.
Under Tail: White with gray wash. with brown streaking and barring.
Leg Color: Feathered in buff-white.

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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.

● 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

Owl-like Head

Owl-like Body

Owl-like Flight

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