Megascops atricapilla
Silhouette: Jason Dilworth · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The black-capped screech owl (Megascops atricapilla), or variable screech owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. The black-capped screech owl is monotypic. It is part of a complex of species that includes the Santa Marta screech owl (M. gilesi), West Peruvian screech owl (M. roboratus), tawny-bellied screech owl (M. watsonii), and perhaps other undescribed species.
The black-capped screech owl is 22 to 23 cm (8.7 to 9.1 in) long. Males weigh 115 to 140 g (4.1 to 4.9 oz) and females up to 160 g (5.6 oz). It occurs in brown, rufous, and gray morphs. All have a light facial disc with a distinct dark border, a blackish crown, and prominent "ear" tufts. Their eye color ranges from dark brown to amber. The brown morph's upperparts are dark brown with pale mottling and vermiculation. The folded wing shows a line of pale spots. The underparts are paler with irregular markings. The other two morphs are redder and grayer respectively.
The black-capped screech owl is found in southeastern Brazil, southeastern Paraguay, and extreme northeastern Argentina. It... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Itatiaia National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-capped Screech-Owl sighting in Itatiaia National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 304th most-seen of the 352 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-capped Screech-Owl in Itatiaia National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-capped Screech-Owl sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Black-capped Screech-Owl sightings, Itatiaia National Park ranks 3rd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Iguazú National Park (Argentina, under 5%) and Iguaçu National Park (Brazil, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-capped Screech-Owl is recorded against all the birds logged in Itatiaia National Park (12 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
