Small owl, Arizona, USA (1 Viewer)

[merry slug]

A friend found this small (young?) owl on his apartment steps yesterday. I didn’t see it personally so I’m not sure of the size. hills near Phoenix, Arizona.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Doesn't look like any of the native, American species to me?

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Surely it is a Screech Owl? Not sure which species are near Phoenix

 

[nartreb]

Western.

 

[tom baxter]

Western Screech Owl. Funny place to see one, that is cool!

 

[YuShan]

Very nice!

 

[Andy Adcock]

Doesn't look much like the illustrations in the old Nat Geo guide I flicked through, much wider, white lines bordering the face for one thing?

 

[nartreb]

They're pretty variable, but this looks like a good match to me:

Western Screech-Owl Photos and Videos for, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

A short series of high toots accelerating through the night announces the presence of a Western Screech-Owl. These compact owls—not much taller than a standard pair of binoculars—hunt in woods and deserts of western North America, where their wide-ranging diet includes everything from worms and...

www.allaboutbirds.org

 

[Fandango739]

Just on a whim, a possible Whiskered Screech? I know it would be the north end of the range, but maybe?

 

[Butty]

Obviously a scops-type owl, and western screech owl is the one that lives there - and it looks fine for one. Scops-types have all sorts of funny looks depending on posture, mood, etc etc.

small (young?) owl

With few exceptions, young fledged birds are essentially the same size as adults.

 

[KC Foggin]

Screech Owl for me.

 

[merry slug]

Thanks everyone

 

[raymie]

Western Screech-Owl