Listen to the western screech owl
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the western screech owl
The western screech owl is a bird in the family Strigidae (order Strigiformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults have a wingspan of about 60 cm.
What does the western screech owl sound like?
Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once. Songs tend to be long and patterned and are used to hold territory and attract a mate; calls are short signals for contact, alarm and flight.
The recordings here are labelled as call. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
The western screech owl (Megascops kennicottii) is a small owl native to North and Central America, closely related to the eastern screech owl. The scientific name commemorates the American naturalist Robert Kennicott and roughly translates to "Kennicott's great/large owl".
Related birds in the genus Megascops
More from the family Strigidae
Frequently asked questions
What does a western screech owl sound like?
You can hear 1 recording of the western screech owl on this page, including its call. Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once.
Is the western screech owl endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the western screech owl as “least concern”.
What family does the western screech owl belong to?
The western screech owl (Megascops kennicottii) belongs to the family Strigidae in the order Strigiformes.
Sources & credits
- Call · Saratoga, Santa Clara County, California, United States by FR – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q1264818 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Western screech owl – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by Randy R. Magnuson – CC BY-SA 3.0