South-eastern Brazil (southern Bahia and Goiás south to Santa Catarina), south-eastern Paraguay and extreme north-eastern Argentina (northern Misiones).
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Black-capped Screech Owl (Megascops atricapilla) [XC838526]
by id from Fazenda S\u00e3o Miguel, Itaj\u00e1, Goi\u00e1s, Brazil (song)
Black-capped Screech Owl (Megascops atricapilla) [XC496456]
by Fernando Igor de Godoy from Anhembi, S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil (song)
Subspecies
Otus atricapillus (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Otus atricapilla and Otus guatemalae following AOU (1998) and SACC (2005) and Otus hoyi following SACC (2005). These species have subsequently been moved to the genus Megascops following AOU (2003). Otus guatemalae (AOU 1998) includes Otus vermiculatus (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993). Gender agreement of Megascops atricapilla follows David and Gosselin (2002a).
Perhaps a member of a superspecies, along with Guatemalan Screech-Owl (Megascops guatemalae), Vermiculated Screech-Owl (Megascops vermiculatus), Yungas Screech-Owl (Megascops hoyi) and Long-tufted Screech-Owl (Megascops sanctaecatarinae). Sometimes considered to include some or most of those as subspecies. Southern populations have been sometimes separated as argentinus.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet