Photo: Chris Jimenez from CR / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Bare-shanked Screech Owl
Megascops clarkii
Bare-shanked Screech Owl (Megascops clarkii) — Owls of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Bare-shanked Screech Owl (Megascops clarkii) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 158 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 clarkii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 158 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Bare-shanked 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 Bare-shanked Screech Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Bare-shanked Screech Owl (Megascops clarkii) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Costa Rica to nw Colombia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 158 g, with a wing length of about 18.1 cm and a tail of around 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.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 9,928 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Bare-shanked Screech Owl?
The Bare-shanked Screech Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 158 g.
Where does the Bare-shanked Screech Owl live?
The Bare-shanked Screech Owl is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Costa Rica to nw Colombia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Bare-shanked Screech Owl belong to?
The Bare-shanked Screech Owl (Megascops clarkii) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Bare-shanked Screech Owl eat?
The Bare-shanked Screech Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Bare-shanked Screech Owl migrate?
The Bare-shanked Screech Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Bare-shanked 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 Bare-shanked Screech Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Bare-shanked 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 Bare-shanked Screech Owl's range?
The Bare-shanked Screech Owl has a mapped global range of about 9,928 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.