Photo: Gary L. Clark / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Tawny-bellied Screech Owl
Megascops watsonii
Tawny-bellied Screech Owl (Megascops watsonii) — 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 Tawny-bellied Screech Owl (Megascops watsonii) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 129 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 watsonii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 129 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 Tawny-bellied 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 Tawny-bellied Screech Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Tawny-bellied Screech Owl (Megascops watsonii) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Amazonia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 129 g, with a wing length of about 16.6 cm and a tail of around 9.1 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 6.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Tawny-bellied Screech Owl?
The Tawny-bellied Screech Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 129 g.
Where does the Tawny-bellied Screech Owl live?
The Tawny-bellied Screech Owl is found across South America with a range covering SA Amazonia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Tawny-bellied Screech Owl belong to?
The Tawny-bellied Screech Owl (Megascops watsonii) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Tawny-bellied Screech Owl eat?
The Tawny-bellied Screech Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Tawny-bellied Screech Owl migrate?
The Tawny-bellied Screech Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Tawny-bellied 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 Tawny-bellied Screech Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Tawny-bellied 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 Tawny-bellied Screech Owl's range?
The Tawny-bellied Screech Owl has a mapped global range of about 6.3 million 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.