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World Owl Trust - leading the World in Owl Conservation
Friday March 12th, 2010


Western Screech Owl
Otus kennicottii
Click on small image to view larger one   Otus kennicottii bendirei
As of February 2005.
Description Small to medium owl with small ear tufts and yellow eyes. Like many scops and screech owls, a grey (gray) and red colour morph exists, the grey (gray) morph being the commonest. Face generally whitish, dark mottled upper-parts, paler streaked and vermiculated under-parts.
Size 21-24cm, 130-250g
Range S. Alaska down through W. Canada, W. & C. United States and Mexico.
Habitat Open woodland, semi-open areas with trees and scrub, parks, gardens and cactus desert.
Food Insects, small mammals, birds, also reptiles and amphibians.
Breeding February and March, usually in a tree hole, often old woodpecker holes. 3-7 eggs are incubated for 26 days. Young leave nest at about 1 month but remain dependent on parents for another 6 weeks.
Call A double trill, with the first being shorter in length, rising then falling in pitch.
Status Fairly common, loss of habitat in some areas but has been able to adapt by moving into parks and gardens. Use of pesticides could pose a threat.
Comments Formerly included with O.asio as one species, but was one of the first examples of where differences in voice was used to distinguish two separate species.
Races Many additional races have been described but are probably just individual variation, even some of the races listed here may be doubtful.
O.k.kennicottii S. Alaska, NW Canada to N California
O.k.bendirei E Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon to SE California
O.k.aikeni SW USA to N Mexico
O.k.yumanensis SE California, Arizona and N Mexico
O.k.cardonensis S California and Pacific N Baja California
O.k.xanthusi S Baja California
O.k.vinaceus Mexico
O.k.suttoni Texas to Mexican plateau

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