Megascops ingens
Silhouette: Jason Dilworth · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The rufescent screech owl (Megascops ingens) is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. The last was formerly considered a distinct species, "Colombian screech owl". Two other forms that had previously been described as subspecies are now treated as individual variations of the nominate.
The rufescent screech owl is one of the larger species of its genus, similar in size to the white-throated screech owl (M. albogularis). Its overall length is 25 to 28 cm (9.8 to 11.0 in) and weight in males is 134 to 180 g (4.7 to 6.3 oz) and in females 140 to 223 g (4.9 to 7.9 oz). The nominate subspecies is sandy brown above with darker vermiculation. Its facial disc is sandy brown, without a distinct rim. The flight feathers are barred cinnamon and dusky and the tail is cinnamon with darker brown bars. The hind crown has buffy-whitish border. It has honey brown eyes and small ear tufts. The tarsi are feathered to the base of the toes. M. i. venezuelanus is slightly smaller... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amboró National Park | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 2 | Los Nevados National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 3 | Farallones de Cali National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rufescent Screech-Owl sighting in Los Nevados National Natural Park on a given day, based on 43 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 311th most-seen of the 424 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rufescent Screech-Owl in Los Nevados National Natural Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rufescent Screech-Owl sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Rufescent Screech-Owl sightings, Los Nevados National Natural Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Amboró National Park (Bolivia, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rufescent Screech-Owl is recorded against all the birds logged in Los Nevados National Natural Park (43 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.
