The bird looks very similar to a western screech owl, but has heavier barring on the breast, and is slightly smaller in size.

The whiskered screech owl's range extends from southeasternmost Arizona and southwest New Mexico (the Madrean sky islands region) in the United States, southwards through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, to north central Nicaragua.

[1] Their breeding habitat is dense coniferous or oak woodlands, and coffee plantations usually occurring at higher elevations than the western screech owl.

These birds wait on a perch and swoop down on prey; they also capture targeted food items in flight.

3 to 4 eggs are usually laid in April or May, usually found in a tree cavity or old woodpecker hole 5 to 7 meters above the ground.