Classification

Megascops kennicottii                                         The words scops means an old english poet which refers to its melodious call (Merriam-Webster Dictonary) and kennicottii was named after the talented naturalist, Robert Kennicott (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History).

Domain: Eukarya
Characteristics of these organisms include membrane bound organelles and contain nuclei within cells.

Kingdom: Animalia
Characteristics of these organisms include multicellularity, lack of cell wall, and internal digestion within body cavity.

Phylum: Chordata
Characteristics of these organisms include a dorsal hollow nerve cord and a muscular tail at some point during life cycle.

Class: Aves
Birds! This is the class of birds and characteristics of these organisms include feathers, no teeth, and the young are hatched from hard-shelled eggs.

Order: Strigiformes
This order is what is commonly referred to as “owls”. There are many characteristics of owls which include large forward facing eyes containing an abundance of rods that allow the owl to see in dim light (at night), a facial disk which funnel in sound waves that allow better hearing, as well as large wings that allow the owl to fly quietly and be able to sneak up on prey.

Family: Strigidae
One of the two families of the order Strigiformes. Characteristics of this family include circular shaped facial disks and larger eyes.

Genus: Megascops
Characteristics of the “Scops” include feathers that form ear tufts that look like horns on the face.

Species: Megascops kennicottii
Characteristics include female size is larger than male.     

(Source: Myers et al. 2014)

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