Screech-owls are typical owls (Strigidae) belonging to the genus Megascops.
As usual for owls, female screech-owls are usually larger than the males of their species, with owls of both sexes being compact in size and shape. All of the birds in this genus are small and agile. Screech-owls are generally colored in various brownish hues with usually a whitish, patterned underside, which helps to camouflage them against the bark of trees. Some are polymorphic, occurring in a grayish- and a reddish-brown morph.
Screech-owls are primarily solitary.
The Screech-owl are named for their piercing calls.
