Chocó Screech-Owl
Megascops centralis
Silhouette: Jason Dilworth · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderStrigiformes (Owls)
- FamilyStrigidae (Typical Owls)
- GenusMegascops (Screech-Owls)
- SpeciesMegascops centralis (Chocó Screech-Owl)
About the Chocó Screech-Owl
The Chocó screech owl (Megascops centralis) is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found from central Panama to western Ecuador. The Chocó screech owl's taxonomy has undergone numerous changes. It has variously been treated as embedded in or a subspecies of the original Otus guatemalae and then as a subspecies of O. vermiculatus when that was split from O. guatemalae. In the early 2000s, all of the New World members of Otus were assigned to Megascops. As of 2019, the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), the North and South American Classification Committees of the American Ornithological Society (AOS), and the Clements taxonomy treat it as a separate species, Megascops centralis.
However, BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World treats it as being embedded within M. vermiculatus vermiculatus, the nominate subspecies of vermiculated screech owl. The Chocó screech owl is monotypic.
The Chocó screech owl is 20.5 to 27 cm (8.1 to 10.6 in) long; two specimens weighed 106.7 and 121.5 g (3.76 and 4.29 oz). It has gray and rufous color morphs and many individuals' plumages are intermediate between the extremes... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Darién National Park
Tropical Screech-Owl
Megascops choliba
Bare-shanked Screech-Owl
Megascops clarkii
Mottled Owl
Strix virgata
Black-White Owl
Strix nigrolineata
Spectacled Owl
Pulsatrix perspicillata
Central American Pygmy-Owl
Glaucidium griseiceps
Crested Owl
Lophostrix cristata
Striped Owl
Pseudoscops clamator
American Barn Owl
Tyto furcata
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soberanía National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 2 | Darién National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 3 | Piedras Blancas National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 4 | Chagres National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 5 | Corcovado National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 6 | Farallones de Cali National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Chocó Screech-Owl in Darién National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Chocó Screech-Owl sighting in Darién National Park, based on 59 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Chocó Screech-Owl in Darién National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Chocó Screech-Owl in Darién National Park in our monthly data.