As a group, screech-owls do make screeching sounds that they are named for, but they’re not as common as their other vocalizations. Whiskered Screech-Owls give a variety of trills and whistles that are used in pair bonding, to declare territories, and to advertise nest cavities. When predators or intruders are nearby, the owls produce a series of calls that increase in intensity depending on the circumstances: from a hoot to a bark to a screech.
The name “Whiskered” comes from the bristles on the ends of the bird’s facial feathers, which are difficult to see unless you’re holding a bird in the hand.
The screech-owl prefers montane pine-oak and oak forests and canyons with oak and sycamore trees. The species is found at elevations from 1,000-2,900 meters (3,280-9,514 feet) from southeastern…
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BirdWatching (Digital) - 1 Issue, May/June 2023