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Choco Screech Owl

Megascops centralis

Not Evaluated · IUCN Red List

NENot EvaluatedInvertebratesForest118 g
Choco Screech Owl (Megascops centralis), photo 1
Photo: Kalvin Chan · CC BY 4.0
Choco Screech Owl (Megascops centralis), photo 2
Photo: Zygy · CC0
Choco Screech Owl (Megascops centralis), photo 3
Photo: Aitor · CC BY 4.0
Choco Screech Owl (Megascops centralis), photo 4
Photo: henrya · CC0
Choco Screech Owl (Megascops centralis), photo 5
Photo: Aitor · CC BY 4.0
Choco Screech Owl (Megascops centralis), photo 6
Photo: Anthony Batista · CC BY 4.0
Choco Screech Owl (Megascops centralis), photo 7
Photo: Bale & Danielsson; Bannwarth, Th.; Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company; Godman, Frederick Du Cane; Hanhart; Horman-Fisher, Maud; Knight, H.; Mintern Bros.; Purkiss, W.; Salvin, Osbert; Saunders, G. S.; Schlereth, M. v.; Sharp, M. A.; Taylor & Francis; Wilson, Edwin · Public domain

What the Choco Screech Owl sounds like

Sonogram of the Choco Screech Owl: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Pichincha: Río Guaycuyacu, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The Chocó screech owl is 20.5 to 27 cm (8.1 to 10.6 in) long; two specimens weighed 106.7 and 121.5 g (3.76 and 4.29 oz). It has gray and rufous color morphs and many individuals' plumages are intermediate between the extremes. The gray morph has a grayish white facial disc with blackish bars and a faint black edge, indistinct whitish brows above yellow to red-orange eyes, and short but distinct "ear" tufts. The upperparts are brownish gray mottled with black and buff. The folded wing shows irregular white spots along the margin. Voice: The Chocó screech owl appears to have only one song, in contrast to most other screech owls that have primary (territorial) and secondary (courtship) songs. It is described as "short...trill with a rapid pace" that starts on an even pitch and then drops. The volume varies throughout.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Choco Screech Owl

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 10 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is February, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Choco Screech Owl

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 3 countries with regular records, and 1 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Panama Colombia Ecuador

Recorded as a rare visitor in Costa Rica.

About the Choco Screech Owl

The Chocó screech owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found from central Panama to western Ecuador.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Black-capped Screech Owl (Megascops atricapilla) Black-capped Screech OwlMegascops atricapillaThe black-capped screech owl is 22 to 23 cm (8.7 to 9.1 in) long. Santa Marta Screech Owl (Megascops gilesi) Santa Marta Screech OwlMegascops gilesiThe Santa Marta screech owl is a medium-sized member of genus Megascops, though the length and mass of the 1919 specimen were not published. Foothill Screech Owl (Megascops roraimae) Foothill Screech OwlMegascops roraimaeThe foothill screech owl is 20 to 23 cm (7.9 to 9.1 in) long and weighs 91 to 128 g (3.2 to 4.5 oz).

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