Photo: thibaudaronson / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Foothill Screech Owl
Megascops roraimae
Foothill Screech Owl (Megascops roraimae) — Owls of South America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Foothill Screech Owl (Megascops roraimae) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 116 g.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Megascops
- Species roraimae
Where it lives
Northeastern Colombia to northern Venezuela and tepuis of southern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and adjacent Brazil; also eastern slope of the Andes from Colombia to Bolivia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 116 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Foothill 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 Foothill Screech Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Foothill Screech Owl (Megascops roraimae) is a species of bird in the Strigidae family, part of the order Strigiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA ne Colombia to n Venezuela and tepuis of s Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and adjacent Brazil; also e slope of the Andes from Colombia to Bolivia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 116 g, with a wing length of about 15.7 cm and a tail of around 7.9 cm.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Foothill Screech Owl?
The Foothill Screech Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 116 g.
Where does the Foothill Screech Owl live?
The Foothill Screech Owl is found across South America with a range covering SA ne Colombia to n Venezuela and tepuis of s Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and adjacent Brazil; also e slope of the Andes from Colombia to Bolivia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Foothill Screech Owl belong to?
The Foothill Screech Owl (Megascops roraimae) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Foothill Screech Owl eat?
The Foothill Screech Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Foothill Screech Owl migrate?
The Foothill Screech Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
What sound does the Foothill Screech Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Foothill Screech Owl — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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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.