Tropical Screech-Owl
Tropical Screech-OwlTropical Screech-OwlTropical Screech-OwlTropical Screech-Owl

Tropical Screech-Owl

Megascops choliba

Silhouette: Jason Dilworth · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Iguazú National Park
407 Verified sightings at Iguazú National Park From 2019 to 2026
4,716 Verified sightings across all 49 parks From 2019 to 2026
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted Active throughout day and night

About the Tropical Screech-Owl

The tropical screech owl (Megascops choliba) is a small species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad, and every mainland South American country. The taxonomy of genus Megascops is somewhat unsettled. A 2015 publication proposed that the tropical screech owl's closest relatives are the white-throated screech owl (M. albogularis) and Koepcke's screech owl (M. koepckeae). However, the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) has not accepted that assessment.

The following nine subspecies are accepted by the IOC, the Clements taxonomy, and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World. M. c. duidae perhaps represents a separate species. M. c. choliba Vieillot (1817)

M. c. luctisomus Bangs & Pernard (1921) M. c. margaritae Cory (1915) M. c. cruciger Spix (1824) M. c. duidae Chapman (1929) M. c. decussatus Lichtenstein (1823) M. c. uruguaii Hekstra (1982) M. c. surutus Kelso (1941) M. c. wetmorei Brodkorb (1937)

The tropical screech owl is polymorphic, with much variation in color. It is overall gray-brown or (less commonly) brown or rufous, but always with a relatively distinctive... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Iguazú National Park

Black-capped Screech-Owl
LC

Black-capped Screech-Owl

🌙 Nocturnal Bird

Megascops atricapilla

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Burrowing Owl
LC

Burrowing Owl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Athene cunicularia

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
LC

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Glaucidium brasilianum

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Mottled Owl
LC

Mottled Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Strix virgata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Rusty-barred Owl
LC

Rusty-barred Owl

🌙 Nocturnal Bird

Strix hylophila

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Tawny-browed Owl
LC

Tawny-browed Owl

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Black Banded Owl
LC

Black Banded Owl

🌙 Nocturnal Bird

Strix huhula

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Striped Owl
LC

Striped Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Pseudoscops clamator

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Spectacled Owl
LC

Spectacled Owl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pulsatrix perspicillata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Buff-fronted Owl
LC

Buff-fronted Owl

🌙 Nocturnal Bird

Aegolius harrisii

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
American Barn Owl

American Barn Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Tyto furcata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
~60%
2 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~30%
3 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~20%
4 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
5 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
6 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~10%
7 Serra dos Órgãos National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
8 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~10%
9 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~10%
10 El Palmar National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~10%
11 Chapada Diamantina National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
12 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
13 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
14 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~10%
15 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
16 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
17 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
18 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
19 Puracé National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
20 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
21 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
22 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
23 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
24 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
25 Cordillera Azul National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
26 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
27 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
<5%
28 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
29 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
30 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
31 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
32 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
33 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
34 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
35 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
36 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
37 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
38 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
39 Noel Kempff Mercado National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
40 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
41 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
42 Volcán Barú National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
43 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
44 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
45 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
46 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
47 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
48 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
49 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Screech-Owl in Iguazú National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Screech-Owl sighting in Iguazú National Park, based on 407 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Tropical Screech-Owl in Iguazú National Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for Tropical Screech-Owl in Iguazú National Park in our monthly data.

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