Photo © Abbott Nature Photography

Western Screech-Owl

The western screech-owl looks a lot like its eastern gray counterpart. As with other woodland owls, this bird’s pattern is well camouflaged — it looks like the rough bark of a tree. Found primarily in the Trans-Pecos region, this western species occurs eastward into the Hill Country and Concho Valley. Differing voices help us distinguish the western screech-owl. A great reference can be found at Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s allaboutbirds.org; give a listen to the two screech owls there.