screech
1. Bird Name
English name: Eastern Screech Owl
Scientific (Latin) Name: Megascops asio
2. Appearance
Eastern Screech Owls are small owls known for their distinctive ear-tufts and camouflaging plumage. Mostly, they display two different color morphs – gray and rufous, with patterned wash that breaks their shape and helps them blend into trees. With yellow eyes and a distinctively patterned underside, this species has a robust squat shape, hooked beak, and sharp talons. Often, males and females are similar in appearance, though females might be slightly larger.
3. Size
The Eastern Screech Owl typically measures from 16 to 25 cm (6.3 to 9.8 inches) in length. The wingspan can range from 46 to 61 cm (18 to 24 inches). Its weight averages between 121 and 244 grams (4.3 to 8.6 ounces).
4. Habitat & Distribution
Eastern Screech Owls have a wide distribution across North America. They can be found in areas ranging from east to the Rocky Mountains in the U.S., into Canada, and south to Mexico. Generally, they inhabit forests, woodlands, swamps, shrubs, and suburban areas with sufficient tree cover and cavities for nesting.
5. Interesting Facts
Despite their name, the call of the Eastern Screech Owl doesn’t screech. Instead, its call is more of a soft, mournful trilling or whinnying. This bird has a tremendous capacity to adjust its diet based on availability – able to switch between insects, rodents, and birds. Interestingly, Eastern Screech Owls are known to take on surprisingly large prey, sometimes even larger than themselves.
6. Diet
Eastern Screech Owls are opportunistic hunters with a diverse diet. They primarily eat small mammals like shrews, bats and rodents, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. They also consume a significant portion of invertebrates, including earthworms, beetles, crickets, and spiders.
7. Behavior & Sounds
These nocturnal predators usually spend their daytime resting in tree cavities or camouflaged against tree trunks. They tend to be monogamous, often reusing the same nests— typically tree hollows or sometimes even boxes in suburban areas. Their calls range from a soft “horse-like” whinny to trills.
8. Conservation Status
According to the IUCN Red List, Eastern Screech Owls are classified as “Least Concern.” They are widespread and fairly common, but urbanization and road accidents pose some threat to their population.
9. Lifespan
The Eastern Screech Owl lives an average of 8 to 10 years in the wild, and in captivity, they can reach ages up to 20 years.
10. Additional Notes
In some Native American folklore, the screech owl is considered a symbol of death. However, they provide valuable pest control by keeping small mammal populations in check. Their superior night vision and hearing at various frequencies make them fierce apex predators in their microecosystems.
In Spanish, they are often referred to as “Lechuza de garganta blanca,” translatable as the “White-throated owl.” Locally, they are sometimes called the “Ghost Owl” due to their quiet flight and haunting calls.
