Vermiculated Screech-Owl

Megascops guatemalae

Silhouette: Jason Dilworth · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderStrigiformes (Owls)
FamilyStrigidae (Typical Owls)
GenusMegascops (Screech-Owls)
SpeciesMegascops guatemalae (Vermiculated Screech-Owl)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Tenorio Volcano National Park

7 Verified sightings at Tenorio Volcano National Park From 2019 to 2026

598 Verified sightings across all 26 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted Active throughout day and night

About the Vermiculated Screech-Owl

The Middle American screech owl (Megascops guatemalae), also known as the Guatemalan screech owl or the vermiculated screech owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found from northern Mexico to western Panama.

The taxonomy of the Middle American screech owl is somewhat unsettled. The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) recognizes these six subspecies, but notes that fuscus and dacrysistactus might not be distinct enough to warrant subspecies status.

M. g. hastatus Ridgway (1887) M. g. cassini Ridgway (1878) M. g. fuscus Moore & Peters (1939) M. g. guatemalae Sharpe (1875) M. g. dacrysistactus Moore & Peters (1939) M. g. vermiculatus Ridgway (1887) Until July 2023 the IOC treated vermiculatus as a separate species, the vermiculated screech owl; the North American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society (AOS/NACC) and the Clements taxonomy had included it earlier. BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) retains vermiculatus as the separate vermiculated screech owl.

The AOS/NACC and Clements add another subspecies, M. g. thompsoni, which the IOC includes within the nominate M. g... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Tenorio Volcano National Park

Megascops cooperi

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Lophostrix cristata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Pulsatrix perspicillata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Strix nigrolineata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Strix virgata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Glaucidium griseiceps

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Pseudoscops clamator

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Glaucidium brasilianum

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Tyto furcata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 9 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
2	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
3	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
4	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	<5%
5	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
6	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
7	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
8	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
9	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
10	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
11	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
12	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
13	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
14	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
15	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
16	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
17	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
18	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
19	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
20	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
21	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
22	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
23	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
24	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
25	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
26	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data

← Back to Tenorio Volcano National Park

Vermiculated Screech-Owl

About the Vermiculated Screech-Owl

Recent sightings of Vermiculated Screech-Owl in Tenorio Volcano National Park

Closest Relatives at Tenorio Volcano National Park

Pacific Screech-Owl

Crested Owl

Spectacled Owl

Black-White Owl

Mottled Owl

Central American Pygmy-Owl

Striped Owl

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

American Barn Owl

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found