Eastern Screech-Owl Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  The Eastern Screech-Owl is a short, stocky bird, with a large head and almost no neck. Its wings are rounded; its tail is short and square. Pointed ear tufts are often raised, lending its head a distinctive silhouette.

  Relative Size

  A small owl, slightly larger and considerably bulkier than a European Starling.

  robin-sized

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 6.3-9.8 in (16-25 cm)
    • Weight: 4.3-8.6 oz (121-244 g)
    • Wingspan: 18.9-24.0 in (48-61 cm)

• Color Pattern

  Eastern Screech-Owls can be either mostly gray or mostly reddish-brown (rufous). Whatever the overall color, they are patterned with complex bands and spots that give the bird excellent camouflage against tree bark. Eyes are yellow.

• Behavior

  Eastern Screech-Owls are active at night and are far more often heard than seen—most bird watchers know this species only from its trilling or whinnying song. However, this cavity-roosting owl can be attracted to nest boxes or, if you’re sharp-eyed, spotted in daylight at the entrance to its home in a tree cavity.

• Habitat

  Trees define the Eastern Screech-Owl’s habitat. This owl is fairly common in most types of woods (evergreen or deciduous; urban or rural), particularly near water. It shuns treeless expanses of mountains or plains.