Western screech owl

Appearance

Length averages 22 cm , wingspan 55 cm , and weight 143 g . Weight ranges from 88 to 220 g . Females are larger than males and northern populations are notably larger than southern populations. Adults are larger than whiskered screech owls, with larger feet and a more streaked plumage pattern.

There are several morphs: brown Pacific, grey Pacific, Great Plains, Mojave, and Mexican. All have either brown or dark gray plumage with streaking on the underparts. There is no red morph.

They have a round head with ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a yellowish bill. Their appearance is quite similar to whiskered and eastern screech owls, so it is best to identify them by their calls. They were previously considered to be the same species as the eastern screech owl.

Naming

There are 9 recognized subspecies:
⤷ ''Megascops kennicottii aikeni'' Brewster, 1891
⤷ ''Megascops kennicottii bendirei''
⤷ ''Megascops kennicottii cardonensis''
⤷ ''Megascops kennicottii kennicottii''
⤷ ''Megascops kennicottii macfarlanei'' Brewster, 1891
⤷ ''Megascops kennicottii suttoni''
⤷ ''Megascops kennicottii vinaceus'' Brewster, 1888
⤷ ''Megascops kennicottii xantusi'' Brewster, 1902
⤷ ''Megascops kennicottii yumanensis''

Habitat

The western screech owl is native to Canada, United States, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.
Its habitat includes temperate forests, subtropical and tropical montane forests, shrubland, desert, rural fields, and even suburban parks and gardens.

Reproduction

They are permanent residents of the northwest North and Central America, breeding in open woods, or mixed woods at forest edges. They often use holes in trees or cacti that were opened by woodpeckers.