Tropical Screech-Owl Gallery

Megascops choliba


The Birds of the World website offers these introductory words about the Tropical Screech-Owl:  The Tropical Screech-Owl is the most common and widespread screech-owl of the neotropicis.  This species is found from Costa Rica south through much of lowland South America, and also is present on Trinidad.  The Tropical Screech-Owl is one of the most successful and adaptable species of screech-owl in South America, but little is known about its natural history.

This species is characterized by its ear tufts, light gray facial disk outlined in black and a distinct pattern of dusky, herringbone streaks on the underparts.  This species, which formerly was known as Otus choliba, has nine recognized subspecies. Most Tropical Screech-Owls are gray-brown in color; brown and red morphs also occur, although the red morph is rare.

I saw and photographed my first Tropical Screech-Owl on the afternoon of August 18, 2023 in the Amazon Basin Region of Brazil.  Our small group with Jeff Parker Tours was at Southwild’s Fazenda São Nicolau located on the Juruena River west of Alta Floresta.  We were walking around the headquarters area of the lodge when we spotted a Tropical Screech-Owl well hidden in a tree near the employee apartments.  The bird was not very cooperative, never showing us an open look.  For a more detailed description of this day, look here at my blog post on my Brazil trip.  Below is the best photo of this cute little owl that I got that afternoon. 
TROPICAL SCREECH-OWL AT THE SOUTHWILD LODGE, AUGUST 18, 2023.