Middle American Screech Owl
Megascops guatemalae
The Middle American screech owl is 20 to 23 cm (7.9 to 9.1 in) long and weighs 95 to 150 g (3.4 to 5.3 oz). It is dimorphic, with one morph overall grayish-brown and the other overall rufous. Unlike other owls of the same genus, it has feathered feet. The brown morph has a light brown facial disc with a thin dark border, thin white brows over yellow eyes, and short dark "ear" tufts. Its crown and upperparts range from dark gray brown to blackish brown; the crown has blackish spots and bars and the back has darker streaks and vermiculations. The fairly long tail is barred. Voice: The Middle American screech owl's principal territorial song is "a rapid, quavering trill...increasing in pitch and volume, ending abruptly". Its secondary song is a "short series of notes...in bouncing-ball rhythm."
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pacific Screech Owl
Megascops cooperi
The Pacific screech owl is a medium-sized member of Megascops and has prominent "ear" tufts and bright yellow eyes. The nominate subspecies is 23 to 26 cm (9.1 to 10.2 in) long and weighs 145 to 175 g (5.1 to 6.2 oz). Its facial disc is pale gray with a white and blackish border. Its crown and upperparts are a pale tawny gray with dusky and black vermiculation. Its closed wing shows two pale lines. It has paler off-white underparts with a darker herringbone pattern. M. c. lambi is 20 to 22 cm (7.9 to 8.7 in) long and weighs 115 to 130 g (4.1 to 4.6 oz). Voice: The primary songs of the two Pacific screech owl subspecies differ. That of the nominate has been described as "prrr pu-pu-PU-PU-PU-pu-pu" and that of M. c. lambi a "staccato croarrr-gogogogogogok". Both have secondary songs as well.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where you might meet both
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Middle American Screech Owl and Pacific Screech Owl.