The Screech Owl regularly haunts old orchards, cemeteries, suburban parks and open deciduous forest . They are our most “suburban” owl, but are rarely noticed because of their small size and ability to blend in with their surroundings. There are three species of screech owls native to North America; the eastern screech owl (Megascops asio), the western screech owl (Megascops kennicottii) and the whiskered screech owl (Megascops trichopsis). Screech owls have two color phases, red and gray. This color variation is independent of age, sex or season; however the red phase seems to be more predominant in the southern part of the owls range. The screech owl’s diet consists of a wide range of species including shrews, mice, voles and other small rodents, small birds and various insects. These owls are strictly nocturnal, skimming over fields, meadow, apple orchards and along the edges of wood lots in search of food. Screech owls have two distinctive calls which vary somewhat depending on the species. The one most often heard is a long, single trill in one pitch or a series of two trills, one short , one long. The other call, sung as a duet by male and female is a mournful, descending whinny, similar to a horse. Screech owls raise their young in natural cavities, abandoned nesting holes of flickers and pileated woodpeckers and manmade nest boxes. In April, four to six pure white eggs are laid and by July the young owls have left the nest and are scattered in the surrounding woodland. The screech owl is a permanent resident throughout it’s range. They are essentially non migratory although some birds do move southward in winter.
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