Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops asio
Megascops asio 4
A small (7-10 inches) owl, the Eastern Screech-Owl is most easily identified by its size, streaked breast, and ear-like feather tufts. This species has two color morphs, one with gray plumage and the other with rusty-red plumage. Male and female Eastern Screech-Owls are similar to one another in all seasons. The Eastern Screech Owl inhabits much of the eastern United States and southern Canada west to the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains. This species also occurs in northern Mexico south to the Tropic of Cancer. Eastern Screech-Owls are non-migratory in all parts of their range. Eastern Screech-Owls inhabit a variety of deciduous, evergreen, or mixed woodland habitats. This species may also be found in more built-up areas, and can sometimes be found in large urban parks. Eastern Screech-Owls eat a variety of small animals, such as insects, songbirds, and rodents. Like most owls, the Eastern Screech-Owl hunts almost exclusively at night, making it difficult to observe. This owl may be more visible when it is active at dusk or just before sunrise, and birds roosting in trees may be seen during the day with the aid of binoculars. As its name suggests, the Eastern Screech-Owl produces a high-pitched hooting call which may be used to identify this species at night.
Habitat 5
Eastern screech-owls have the broadest ecological niche of any North American owl. They are found in virtually all kinds of habitats below about 1500 meters elevation, from urbanized surroundings to boreal forests. They are generally found in wooded areas but do well in urban and suburban areas and do well near humans, often using bird boxes for nesting. These birds are cavity nesters and use natural cavities or those created by other animals.
Range elevation: 1500 (high) m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune ; savanna or grassland ; chaparral ; forest ; scrub forest
Other Habitat Features: urban ; suburban
Conservation status 6
Eastern screech-owls may suffer as a result of deforestation and the loss of appropriate nesting cavities and prey populations. They are relatively common throughout their range, though, and are not currently threatened.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
US Migratory Bird Act: no special status
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix ii
State of Michigan List: no special status
Sources and Credits
- (c) Michael Hodge, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/27142448@N00/2219092451
- (c) Anthony Goddard, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7394/9032692845_0636211b10_o.jpg
- (c) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/EasternScreechOwlBillWaller.jpg
- Adapted by Natalie LaScala from a work by (c) Smithsonian Institution, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34818348
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/25066170
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/25066180
