General Description: Western Screech-Owls (Megascops kennicottii) are small, brown owls with small ear tufts. The tufts, however, can be raised and lowered, so the head may appear rounded. Western Screech-Owls are brown with black streaks on the belly. The eyes are yellow, and the bill usually is dark.

Taxonomy: Strigiformes, Strigidae. Formerly Otus kennicottii.

Favored Habitat: These owls generally are found in forested country where they nest in tree cavities and sometimes old buildings, although they occasionally show up in other habitats such as urban areas.

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, look for Western Screech-Owls in lower and middle-elevation forests in places such as Mt. Charleston or the Desert National Wildlife Range.

Comments: Owls are hard to find, but listen for them at night. The main call of Western Screech-Owls sounds like a ping-pong ball dropped on a table where the tempo of the whistles gradually gets faster.