Western Screech-Owl

Megascops kennicottiiOrder: STRIGIFORMES Family: True Owls (Strigidae)

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

Western Screech-Owl (northwest coast kennicotti)

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Overview

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.

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.

Topo Map: Owl-like Body

Listen to Call

Similar Sounding

Voice Text

"hoo-hoo-hoo", "cr-r-oo-oo-oo"

Interesting Facts

The Western Screech Owl was first described in 1867. Common names include Little Horned Owl, Dusk Owl, Ghost Owl, Mouse Owl, Cat Owl, Little Cat Owl, Puget Sound Screech Owl, Washington Screech Owl, and Coastal Screech Owl.

When threatened, they stretch their body and tighten their feathers in order to look like a branch stub.

They become motionless if disturbed at roost, and can sometimes be caught by hand in this state.

At one time, Western and the Eastern Screech Owl were considered to be one species, but they have since been split into two separate species.

A group of owls has many collective nouns, including "a bazaar of owls", "a glaring of owls", "a parliament of owls", "a stooping of owls", and a "wisdom of owls."

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

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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

● 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

Owl-like Body

Underparts

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

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Shoulder

The short feathers overlying the median secondary coverts on the top of the wing. They are located near the back and can be seen as the “first row” of feathers on the birds wing. They are also called marginal coverts and lesser secondary coverts.

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