Photo: José Loaiza, Aves y Conservación / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Cinnamon Screech Owl
Megascops petersoni
Cinnamon Screech Owl (Megascops petersoni) — Owls of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Cinnamon Screech Owl (Megascops petersoni) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 97.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Megascops
- Species petersoni
Quick facts
- Weight
- 97.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cinnamon Screech Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Cinnamon Screech Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cinnamon Screech Owl (Megascops petersoni) is a member of the Strigidae family, within the order Strigiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA se Ecuador to nw Peru.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 97.5 g, with a wing length of about 16.1 cm and a tail of around 8.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 19,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cinnamon Screech Owl?
The Cinnamon Screech Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 97.5 g.
Where does the Cinnamon Screech Owl live?
The Cinnamon Screech Owl is found across South America with a range covering SA se Ecuador to nw Peru, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Cinnamon Screech Owl belong to?
The Cinnamon Screech Owl (Megascops petersoni) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Cinnamon Screech Owl eat?
The Cinnamon Screech Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Cinnamon Screech Owl migrate?
The Cinnamon Screech Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cinnamon Screech Owl endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Cinnamon Screech Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Cinnamon Screech Owl — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cinnamon Screech Owl's range?
The Cinnamon Screech Owl has a mapped global range of about 19,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Strigidae
A field guide to the Strigidae family — 236 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.