Photo: Patrick Coin (Patrick Coin) / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pacific Screech Owl
Megascops cooperi
Pacific Screech Owl (Megascops cooperi) — 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 Pacific Screech Owl (Megascops cooperi) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 150 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 cooperi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 150 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pacific Screech Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Pacific Screech Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Pacific Screech Owl (Megascops cooperi) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA s Mexico to nw Costa Rica.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 150 g, with a wing length of about 17.6 cm and a tail of around 8.1 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 79,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pacific Screech Owl?
The Pacific Screech Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 150 g.
Where does the Pacific Screech Owl live?
The Pacific Screech Owl is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA s Mexico to nw Costa Rica, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Pacific Screech Owl belong to?
The Pacific Screech Owl (Megascops cooperi) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Pacific Screech Owl eat?
The Pacific Screech Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Pacific Screech Owl migrate?
The Pacific Screech Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Pacific 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 Pacific Screech Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Pacific Screech Owl — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Pacific Screech Owl's range?
The Pacific Screech Owl has a mapped global range of about 79,000 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.