Alternative name: Santa Barbara Screech-Owl
- Megascops barbarus
Otus barbarus
Identification
15-17cm. It occurs in two distinct colour phases, rufous and brown
- Small ear tufts
- Bright pink feet
- Yellow eyes
- Yellow-grey bill with a horn coloured tip.
Distribution
Montane forests of Southern Mexico (Chiapas) to Guatemala.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1]
This and almost all Screech-Owls in the Americas have previously been considered to belong in the same genus (Otus) as the European and Asian Scops-Owls, but a reassignment to Megascops have been accepted by among other authorities, the American Ornithologists' Union.
Habitat
Humid pine and oak forests and cloudforests from about 5,000 to 8,000 ft.
Behaviour
Nocturnal.
Diet
The diet includes large insects.
Breeding
It nests in tree cavities and 5-6 eggs are laid.
Vocalisation
A very soft toot or hu.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Owling.com
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Bearded Screech-Owl. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 12 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bearded_Screech-Owl
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
