33:
579:
107:
229:
82:
60:
441:. The fairly long tail is barred. The underparts are paler with conspicuous longitudinal stripes and some horizontal stripes. The beak is greenish. The rufous morph is overall reddish and the various streaks and stripes are less distinct. The various subspecies are similar, differing mainly in size (which increases north to south) and the intensity of the colors.
620:
follows HBW taxonomy and so has separately assessed the Middle
American and vermiculated screech owls. Both are assessed as being of Least Concern. The population size of neither is known but both are believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats to either have been identified. The species
783:
Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Hernández-Baños, R. A. Jiménez, A. W. Kratter, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., and K. Winker. 2023. Check-list of North
American Birds (online). American Ornithological Society.
568:
Little is known about the Middle
American screech owl's breeding biology. It apparently nests mostly in March and April but may extend that into June. The clutch of two or three eggs is laid in a natural tree cavity or abandoned woodpecker hole.
625:
436:
with a thin dark border, thin white brows over yellow eyes, and short dark "ear" tufts. Its crown and upperparts range from dark gray brown to blackish brown; the crown has blackish spots and bars and the back has darker streaks and
801:
Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2022. Downloaded from
607:
The Middle
American screech owl's principal territorial song is "a rapid, quavering trill...increasing in pitch and volume, ending abruptly". Its secondary song is a "short series of notes...in bouncing-ball rhythm."
559:
The Middle
American screech owl is nocturnal; it hunts mostly by swooping on prey from a perch and also by catching it in flight. Its diet is mostly large insects but sometimes includes small vertebrates.
839:
Holt, D. W., R. Berkley, C. Deppe, P. L. Enríquez, J. L. Petersen, J. L. Rangel
Salazar, K. P. Segars, K. L. Wood, G. M. Kirwan, and J. S. Marks (2020). Middle American Screech-Owl (
815:
HBW and BirdLife
International (2022) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 7. Available at:
542:
The Middle
American screech owl inhabits several types of humid to semi-arid landscapes including evergreen, semi-deciduous, and thorn forest, and to a lesser extent
843:), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, B. K. Keeney, P. G. Rodewald, and T. S. Schulenberg, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.
1269:
1079:
1239:
32:
1198:
1027:
1211:
1053:
299:
894:
424:
The Middle
American screech owl is 20 to 23 cm (7.9 to 9.1 in) long and weighs 95 to 150 g (3.4 to 5.3 oz). It is
394:
1249:
816:
1264:
381:
1216:
1058:
978:
1259:
1084:
106:
1254:
1092:
943:
1097:
965:
905:
425:
389:
352:
218:
983:
380:
as a separate species, the vermiculated screech owl; the North
American Classification Committee of the
201:
721:
672:
957:
497:
410:
337:
49:
1244:
817:
https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v7_Dec22.zip
236:
101:
432:. Unlike other owls of the same genus, it has feathered feet. The brown morph has a light brown
1185:
1118:
1071:
1001:
890:
461:
385:
1123:
803:
716:
667:
543:
970:
1105:
592:
341:
228:
698:
649:
546:
and plantations. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 1,500 m (4,900 ft).
449:
The six subspecies of Middle American screech owl recognized by the IOC are found thus:
501:
318:
1149:
1233:
1066:
707:
658:
438:
91:
86:
69:
64:
1190:
1006:
578:
785:
1176:
993:
928:
1136:
1040:
937:
433:
178:
753:
626:
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
1144:
478:
509:
279:
118:
857:
298:
The taxonomy of the Middle American screech owl is somewhat unsettled. The
1110:
1170:
922:
513:
482:
168:
138:
844:
1203:
1032:
952:
465:
1045:
505:
469:
457:
429:
287:
283:
128:
899:
496:, from southeastern Veracruz and northeastern Oaxaca (including the
1019:
1131:
1014:
527:, extreme eastern Nicaragua through Costa Rica into western Panama
617:
148:
903:
628:(CITES) lists the Middle American screech owl in Appendix II.
275:
158:
428:, with one morph overall grayish-brown and the other overall
310:
might not be distinct enough to warrant subspecies status.
804:
https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
752:
Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (July 2023).
302:(IOC) recognizes these six subspecies, but notes that
1160:
912:
593:
Listen to Middle American screech owl on xeno-canto
405:The AOS/NACC and Clements add another subspecies,
722:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T61769583A95179648.en
673:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T61767847A95179450.en
572:
786:https://checklist.americanornithology.org/taxa/
885:König, C., F. Weick & J.H. Becking (2008)
797:
795:
793:
621:potentially faces threats from habitat loss.
8:
900:
835:
833:
831:
829:
827:
825:
779:
777:
775:
402:as the separate vermiculated screech owl.
227:
80:
58:
31:
22:
747:
745:
743:
741:
739:
720:
671:
692:
690:
643:
641:
637:
531:The Yucatán and Cozumel populations of
300:International Ornithological Committee
845:https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.vesowl.01
7:
1270:Taxa named by Richard Bowdler Sharpe
409:, which the IOC includes within the
1240:IUCN Red List least concern species
708:IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
659:IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
395:Handbook of the Birds of the World
14:
577:
376:Until July 2023 the IOC treated
105:
697:BirdLife International (2016).
648:BirdLife International (2016).
539:by the AOS/NACC and Clements.
382:American Ornithological Society
1:
889:. Christopher Helm, London,
282:. It is found from northern
26:Middle American screech owl
819:retrieved December 13, 2022
806:retrieved November 10, 2022
258:Middle American screech owl
1286:
699:"Vermiculated Screech-owl
847:retrieved August 12, 2023
388:had included it earlier.
363:Moore & Peters (1939)
242:
235:
226:
207:
200:
102:Scientific classification
100:
78:
56:
47:
39:
30:
25:
1250:Birds of Central America
715:: e.T61769583A95179648.
666:: e.T61767847A95179450.
650:"Guatemalan Screech-owl
445:Distribution and habitat
294:Taxonomy and systematics
272:vermiculated screech owl
1265:Birds described in 1875
701:Megascops vermiculatus
477:, eastern Mexico from
456:, western Mexico from
390:BirdLife International
268:Guatemalan screech owl
266:), also known as the
1150:Megascops-guatemalae
944:Megascops guatemalae
914:Megascops guatemalae
858:"Appendices | CITES"
841:Megascops guatemalae
652:Megascops guatemalae
521:, northern Nicaragua
519:M. g. dacrysistactus
360:M. g. dacrysistactus
263:Megascops guatemalae
211:Megascops guatemalae
758:IOC World Bird List
384:(AOS/NACC) and the
50:Conservation status
525:M. g. vermiculatus
490:, central Veracruz
481:south to northern
368:M. g. vermiculatus
274:, is a species of
193:M. guatemalae
1260:Birds of Honduras
1227:
1226:
1119:Open Tree of Life
906:Taxon identifiers
895:978-0-7136-6548-2
887:Owls of the World
599:
598:
498:Yucatán Peninsula
386:Clements taxonomy
372:
364:
356:
345:
330:
322:
254:
253:
249:
95:
73:
1277:
1220:
1219:
1207:
1206:
1194:
1193:
1181:
1180:
1179:
1162:Scops guatemalae
1153:
1152:
1140:
1139:
1127:
1126:
1114:
1113:
1101:
1100:
1088:
1087:
1075:
1074:
1062:
1061:
1049:
1048:
1036:
1035:
1023:
1022:
1010:
1009:
997:
996:
987:
986:
974:
973:
961:
960:
958:60622A87E7EEFAFC
948:
947:
946:
933:
932:
931:
901:
873:
872:
870:
868:
854:
848:
837:
820:
813:
807:
799:
788:
781:
770:
769:
767:
765:
749:
734:
733:
731:
729:
724:
694:
685:
684:
682:
680:
675:
645:
581:
573:
544:secondary forest
504:) south through
494:M. g. guatemalae
414:M. g. guatemalae
370:
362:
351:
349:M. g. guatemalae
336:
328:
317:
247:
231:
213:
110:
109:
89:
84:
83:
67:
62:
61:
41:M. g. guatemalae
35:
23:
1285:
1284:
1280:
1279:
1278:
1276:
1275:
1274:
1255:Birds of Belize
1230:
1229:
1228:
1223:
1215:
1210:
1202:
1197:
1189:
1184:
1175:
1174:
1169:
1156:
1148:
1143:
1135:
1130:
1122:
1117:
1109:
1106:Observation.org
1104:
1096:
1091:
1083:
1078:
1070:
1065:
1057:
1052:
1044:
1039:
1031:
1026:
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1005:
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990:
982:
977:
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964:
956:
951:
942:
941:
936:
927:
926:
921:
908:
882:
880:Further reading
877:
876:
866:
864:
856:
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838:
823:
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791:
782:
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727:
725:
696:
695:
688:
678:
676:
647:
646:
639:
634:
614:
605:
600:
595:
590:
589:
587:Songs and calls
566:
557:
552:
537:M. g. thompsoni
535:are treated as
447:
422:
407:M. g. thompsoni
296:
245:Otus guatemalae
222:
215:
209:
196:
104:
96:
85:
81:
74:
63:
59:
52:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1225:
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1222:
1221:
1208:
1195:
1182:
1166:
1164:
1158:
1157:
1155:
1154:
1141:
1128:
1115:
1102:
1089:
1076:
1063:
1050:
1037:
1024:
1011:
998:
988:
975:
962:
949:
934:
918:
916:
910:
909:
904:
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821:
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591:
585:
583:
571:
565:
562:
556:
553:
551:
548:
529:
528:
522:
516:
502:Cozumel Island
491:
485:
472:
454:M. g. hastatus
446:
443:
439:vermiculations
421:
418:
398:(HBW) retains
374:
373:
371:Ridgway (1887)
365:
357:
346:
331:
329:Ridgway (1878)
323:
315:M. g. hastatus
308:dacrysistactus
295:
292:
278:in the family
252:
251:
248:(Sharpe, 1875)
240:
239:
233:
232:
224:
223:
216:
205:
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126:
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116:
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98:
97:
79:
76:
75:
57:
54:
53:
48:
45:
44:
37:
36:
28:
27:
16:Species of owl
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1282:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1241:
1238:
1237:
1235:
1218:
1213:
1209:
1205:
1200:
1196:
1192:
1187:
1183:
1178:
1172:
1168:
1167:
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1163:
1159:
1151:
1146:
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1138:
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1125:
1120:
1116:
1112:
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1077:
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919:
917:
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902:
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888:
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836:
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830:
828:
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772:
759:
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748:
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736:
723:
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669:
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523:
520:
517:
515:
511:
507:
503:
499:
495:
492:
489:
486:
484:
480:
476:
475:M. g. cassini
473:
471:
467:
463:
459:
455:
452:
451:
450:
444:
442:
440:
435:
431:
427:
419:
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401:
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387:
383:
379:
369:
366:
361:
358:
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350:
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335:
332:
327:
326:M. g. cassini
324:
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206:
203:
202:Binomial name
199:
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127:
124:
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120:
117:
114:
113:
108:
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99:
93:
88:
87:Least Concern
77:
71:
66:
65:Least Concern
55:
51:
46:
42:
38:
34:
29:
24:
21:
19:
1161:
913:
886:
865:. Retrieved
861:
852:
840:
811:
762:. Retrieved
757:
726:. Retrieved
712:
706:
700:
677:. Retrieved
663:
657:
651:
623:
615:
606:
603:Vocalization
586:
576:
567:
558:
541:
536:
532:
530:
524:
518:
493:
488:M. g. fuscus
487:
474:
453:
448:
423:
413:
406:
404:
400:vermiculatus
399:
393:
378:vermiculatus
377:
375:
367:
359:
348:
334:M. g. fuscus
333:
325:
314:
307:
303:
297:
271:
267:
262:
261:
257:
255:
244:
243:
210:
208:
192:
191:
179:
159:Strigiformes
40:
20:
18:
1093:Neotropical
1041:iNaturalist
938:Wikispecies
434:facial disc
420:Description
286:to western
1234:Categories
1145:Xeno-canto
867:August 12,
632:References
533:guatemalae
479:Tamaulipas
1245:Megascops
1177:Q41019594
929:Q11845359
862:cites.org
728:12 August
679:12 August
510:Guatemala
464:south to
462:Chihuahua
426:dimorphic
280:Strigidae
187:Species:
180:Megascops
169:Strigidae
125:Kingdom:
119:Eukaryota
43:, Belize
1171:Wikidata
1132:Species+
1072:61767847
971:61767847
966:BirdLife
923:Wikidata
764:July 31,
760:. v 13.2
564:Breeding
550:Behavior
514:Honduras
483:Veracruz
411:nominate
237:Synonyms
165:Family:
139:Chordata
135:Phylum:
129:Animalia
115:Domain:
92:IUCN 3.1
70:IUCN 3.1
1217:1063366
1204:9121809
1033:2497380
953:Avibase
555:Feeding
466:Sinaloa
319:Ridgway
270:or the
221:, 1875)
175:Genus:
155:Order:
145:Class:
90: (
68: (
1124:921071
1111:194651
1098:vesowl
1085:126821
1059:686673
1020:vesowl
994:vesowl
984:102640
893:
754:"Owls"
612:Status
506:Belize
470:Oaxaca
458:Sonora
430:rufous
355:(1875)
353:Sharpe
344:(1939)
342:Peters
340:&
321:(1887)
304:fuscus
288:Panama
284:Mexico
219:Sharpe
1191:4VVRX
1046:19757
1015:eBird
1007:6QW8Z
991:BOW:
512:into
338:Moore
1212:ITIS
1199:GBIF
1137:9435
1080:NCBI
1067:IUCN
1054:ITIS
1028:GBIF
979:BOLD
891:ISBN
869:2023
766:2023
730:2023
713:2016
681:2023
664:2016
624:The
618:IUCN
616:The
508:and
500:and
468:and
460:and
306:and
256:The
149:Aves
1186:CoL
1002:CoL
717:doi
668:doi
392:'s
276:owl
1236::
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860:.
824:^
792:^
774:^
756:.
738:^
711:.
705:.
689:^
662:.
656:.
640:^
416:.
290:.
871:.
768:.
732:.
719::
703:"
683:.
670::
654:"
260:(
217:(
94:)
72:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
