Eastern Screech-Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl
Adult gray morph
- Small, stocky owl with ear tufts usually visible
- Patterned gray overall
- Heavy, dark barring on underpars
- © Michael Allen, PA, Rector, June 2007
Eastern Screech-Owl
Adult red morph
- Stocky and compact owl
- Short ear tufts
- Bright rufous-orange overall
- Dense rufous mottling and barring on underparts
- © Chris Buelow, MA, Ipswich, February 2011
Eastern Screech-Owl
Adult brown morph
- Small, compact owl
- Small ear tufts
- Overall color intermediate between gray and red morphs
- Heavy barring on underparts
- © Greg Page, TX, Katy Prairie, November 2010
Eastern Screech-Owl
Adult red and gray morphs
Eastern Screech-Owl
Juvenile with red morph adult
- Small and compact
- Juveniles lack ear tufts
- Mostly covered in fluffy gray and brown downy feathers
- Finely barred breast and belly
- © Cleber Ferreira, FL, Orlando, May 2011
Eastern Screech-Owl
Juveniles
- Small, compact owls
- Covered in fluffy gray down
- Finely barred plumage
- Ear tufts start to develop on older juveniles
- © Michael Allen, PA, Rector, June 2007
Similar Species
Adult
- Very similar to Eastern Screech-Owl
- Bill usually darker than on Eastern
- Breast streaked more vertically compared to Eastern with distinct horizontal cross-bars
- Best distinguished by voice
- © Bryant Olsen, AZ, March 2011
Adult
- Smaller than Eastern Screech-Owl
- Lack of ear tufts makes head look completely rounded
- Thick, vertical chestnut streaks on breast
- Fine white streaks on brown crown
- © Cameron Rognan, Amherst Island, ON, February 2009
Juvenile
- Similar in size to Eastern Screech-Owl
- Plumage distinctive, with bright buff underparts and dark head/face
- Fluffy, rounded head with no ear tufts
- © Ganesh Jayaraman, Carmel, CA, May 2010