West Peruvian Screech Owl

The nominate subspecies of West Peruvian screech owl is 20 to 22 cm (7.9 to 8.7 in) long and weighs 144 to 162 g (5.1 to 5.7 oz). It has both gray and rufous morphs. The former has a grayish facial disc with a black border, white brows above pale to golden yellow eyes, and small "ear" tufts. The crown is blackish brown and the upperparts gray brown with slight darker bars. It has a pale nuchal collar. Its underparts are whitish with faint vermiculation. The rufous morph is pale rufous all over with dark brown markings. M. r. pacificus is smaller and lighter than the nominate, 18 to 19 cm (7. Voice: The nominate West Peruvian screech owl's song is "a trill of equally spaced notes increasing in volume toward the end". That of M. r. pacificus is "a similar trill that rises in volume and drops slightly in pitch at toward the end".