Megascops kennicottii
Silhouette: Jason Dilworth · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
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 →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toluca | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Phoenix | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Portland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Salt Lake City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 9 | Seattle | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tierpark Berlin | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Living Desert Zoo and Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Cheyenne Mountain Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Oregon Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | ABQ BioPark Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Hogle Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | El Paso Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | California Living Museum | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Zoo Boise | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Alameda Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Small Breeds Farm Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 13 | Sequoia Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | California Raptor Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Orange County Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Wildlife Learning and Conservation Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 17 | Lindsay Wildlife Experience | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 18 | Cascades Raptor Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 19 | Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society | 🇨🇦 Canada |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Screech-Owl sighting in Toluca on a given day, based on 38 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 79th most-seen of the 118 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Western Screech-Owl in Toluca on a given day, against under 5% in May, July–August and October–March, the lowest months. That is one of Toluca's wettest months, with about 150 mm of rain against 5 mm in December.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western Screech-Owl sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 10 cities where we can rate Western Screech-Owl sightings, Toluca has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Phoenix (United States, under 5%) and Portland (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Screech-Owl is recorded against all the birds logged in Toluca (38 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
