Tawny-bellied screech owl

Appearance

The tawny-bellied screech owl is 19 to 24 cm long. The nominate subspecies weighs 114 to 155 g and "M. w. usta" 115 to 141 g. The nominate has a dark buff facial disc with a thin darker border, dark buff brows over dark yellow eyes, and longish broad "ear" tufts. The crown and upperparts are dark gray-brown with black and buff spots and vermiculations. The tail has alternating brown and light buff bars. The breast is dark brown with small buff spots. The rest of the underparts are buff with black streaks and the belly also has faint white bars. "M. w. usta" has a similar pattern but is rufous overall and the underparts' streaks are broader. Its eyes are warm brown. It also occurs in brown and buff morphs.

Distribution

The nominate subspecies of tawny-bellied screech owl is found north of the Amazon River from eastern Colombia east through Venezuela and the Guianas and south through Ecuador into northeastern Peru and Amazonian Brazil. "M. w. usta" is found south of the Amazon in eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and southern Amazonian Brazil to northern Mato Grosso.

The tawny-bellied screech owl inhabits the interior of lowland rainforest, mostly old growth and mature secondary forest. "M. w. usta" can also be found in altered forest along waterways and near human settlements. The species tends to favor undergrowth to the mid-story below 30 m high. It is seldom found above elevations of 600 to 700 m above sea level.

Status

The IUCN has assessed the tawny-bellied screech owl as being of Least Concern. Though it appears to be fairly common and widespread, it is poorly known, and because it requires mature forest, "the major threat to its survival must surely be destruction of its habitat."

Habitat

The nominate subspecies of tawny-bellied screech owl is found north of the Amazon River from eastern Colombia east through Venezuela and the Guianas and south through Ecuador into northeastern Peru and Amazonian Brazil. "M. w. usta" is found south of the Amazon in eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and southern Amazonian Brazil to northern Mato Grosso.

The tawny-bellied screech owl inhabits the interior of lowland rainforest, mostly old growth and mature secondary forest. "M. w. usta" can also be found in altered forest along waterways and near human settlements. The species tends to favor undergrowth to the mid-story below 30 m high. It is seldom found above elevations of 600 to 700 m above sea level.

Reproduction

Almost nothing is known about the tawny-bellied screech owl's breeding phenology. A nest was documented in September a hole in a dead palm; it contained a very young chick. Another nest held two eggs.

Food

Little is known about the tawny-bellied screech owl's feeding habits. It is nocturnal, forages at lower levels of the forest, and is believed to feed mostly on insects but possibly small vertebrates as well.