Western Screech-Owl
Megascops kennicottii
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderStrigiformes (Owls)
- FamilyStrigidae (Typical Owls)
- GenusMegascops (Screech-Owls)
- SpeciesMegascops kennicottii (Western Screech-Owl)
About the Western Screech-Owl
The western screech owl (Megascops kennicottii) is a small owl native to North and Central America, closely related to the eastern screech owl. The scientific name commemorates the American naturalist Robert Kennicott. Length averages 22 cm (8.7 in), wingspan 55 cm (22 in), and weight 143 g (5.0 oz). Weight ranges from 88 to 220 g (3.1 to 7.8 oz). 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. This brown and gray streaky coloring allows the owl to camouflage with trees and hide from predators.
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.
The primary call is an accelerating series of short... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Whiskered Screech-Owl
Megascops trichopsis
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
Spotted Owl
Strix occidentalis
Elf Owl
Micrathene whitneyi
Burrowing Owl
Athene cunicularia
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Glaucidium gnoma
Flammulated Owl
Psiloscops flammeolus
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
American Barn Owl
Tyto furcata
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 11 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 12 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Glacier National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Kenai Fjords National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 17 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 18 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 19 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Western Screech-Owl in Saguaro National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Western Screech-Owl sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 1,158 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Western Screech-Owl in Saguaro National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Western Screech-Owl in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.