Tropical Screech Owl

Megascops choliba (Vieillot, 1817)

Tropical Screech Owl, Megascops choliba, is an owl of Middle America and South America, ranging from Costa Rica to north-eastern Argentina. It belongs to the family Strigidae and was described by Vieillot in 1817. It is a small, widespread species that is found across much of the neotropics, including Trinidad and most mainland South American countries. The bird shows marked variation in plumage, but it is usually grey-brown, with yellow eyes, a dark edge to the face, and pale underparts marked with black patterning. It uses a broad range of open and semi-open habitats.

Order

Strigiformes

Family

Strigidae — Owls

Breeding range

Middle America, South America: Costa Rica to ne Argentina