Whiskered Screech-Owl Life History

Habitat

Whiskered Screech-Owls occur in mountain forest and woodland between 1,000 and 2,900 meters (3,300–9,500 feet). In Arizona, they span three habitat types (listed from lowest to highest): riparian forest along canyon streams, pine-oak woodland, and lower coniferous forest. Additional habitats from the main part of the owl’s range in Mexico and Central America include the upper edge of tropical deciduous forest and the lower edge of mixed-conifer forest and cloud forest.

Food

Whiskered Screech-Owls feed mainly on insects, especially beetles, moths, and caterpillars, as well as small mammals and reptiles. Insects make up the large majority of prey items, but larger animals like mice, shrews, bats, lizards, and snakes constitute more than two-thirds of prey (by weight) delivered to nests. These owls are sit-and-wait predators that catch prey with direct flights into foliage and dives to the ground. They grab prey from foliage, tree trunks, leaf litter, and the ground with their feet, and they also snap up flying prey with their bill.

Nesting

Nest Placement

In southeastern Arizona, most nest cavities are natural holes in live trees, caused by fallen limbs or broken treetops; woodpecker holes are also used. Cavity height ranges from 5 to 11 meters (16–36 feet). Nesting trees typically have sparse vegetation around them.

Nest Description

Whiskered Screech-Owls do not build a nest. The female lays eggs in natural tree cavities or woodpecker holes without adding nesting material. On average, nest cavities are 42 cm (17 inches) deep, with a 9 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inch) entrance hole.

Nesting Facts

Behavior

Whiskered Screech-Owls are skilled fliers, capable of maneuvering through canopy foliage or hovering above prey. Both adults and fledglings walk and hop on the ground and along tree branches.

This species is monogamous, with pair bonds lasting at least one breeding season. A single male defends multiple cavities, and the female selects one of them for nesting. The female incubates the eggs and broods the young for the first week after hatching; the male delivers food to her throughout this incubation and early brooding period. Young birds fledge after 24–30 days and continue to be fed by adults for at least 28 days. Like other screech-owls, nestling Whiskered Screech-Owls leave the nest shortly before they can fly, and use their beak and feet to climb through vegetation in a parrotlike manner.

Conservation

Partners in Flight estimates Whiskered Screech-Owl’s global population size at 200,000 breeding individuals and rates the species a 15 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, indicating a Yellow Watch List species of high conservation concern.

Credits

Dunne, P. (2006). Pete Dunne's essential field guide companion. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York, USA.

Gehlbach, F. R., N. Y. Gehlbach, P. Pyle, and M. A. Patten (2020). Whiskered Screech-Owl (Megascops trichopsis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.whsowl1.01

Howell, S. N. G., and S. Webb (1995). A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America. Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Partners in Flight (2023). Avian Conservation Assessment Database, version 2023.

Sibley, D. A. (2014). The Sibley Guide to Birds, second edition. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY, USA.

Back to top