Eastern Screech Owl Megascops asio
Case Histories
Case 1:
Parent Screech Owl located by adult call
Case 2:
A
brancher Screech Owl is reunited with its parents using the recorded calls
Case 3:
Orphaned brancher from North Alabama fostered to Shelby County Screech Owl
family
Case 4:
Restless Brancher Screech Owl rejoins family with another restless
brancher
Case 5:
Fledgling Screech Owl fostered to family with fledglings in Cahaba
Heights
Case 6:
Nest
box helps reunite Screech Owls with parents
Development Photos
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Hatchling |
Young Nestling
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Brancher
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Fledgling |
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Fledglings |
Species Notes
This
small, secretive owl is found in suburban and urban areas as well as in
undisturbed woodlands. The preferred diet includes a large variety of insects,
as well as small rodents, birds, earthworms and crawfish. The typical call of
the Screech Owl is not a screech, but more like a descending whinny. Screech
Owls normally are seen in two color phases, one a bright reddish brown, and the
other grey. In Alabama intermediate shades of brown are also seen. Screech
Owls are opportunistic cavity nesters, and will make use of a wide range of
natural cavities and woodpecker holes. Nest boxes and other man-made objects
are also used frequently. Cavities being less exposed than open cup nests, it is
relatively uncommon for the young to become separated from the parents before
they leave the nest cavity. On the other hand, branchers and young fledglings
very frequently are found, many of them perfectly healthy. Like all cavity
nesters, Screech Owls prefer a nest box to a laundry basket.
Clutch size may be 3 to 6 eggs, with 3 to 4 being typical. It is not unusual for the youngest hatchling to be killed and eaten by the older siblings. Incubation requires about 27 days. The young are brooded by the female for about two weeks. After maternal brooding ceases, younger nestlings not yet able to maintain their own body temperature are kept warm by older nestlings. The young leave the nest at about 4 weeks, initially hopping and climbing actively. Clumsy flight begins after 2 to 3 days, but young remain together, and begin attempting to hunt in 2 to 3 weeks. Hunting ability develops gradually until proficiency is gained after 7 to 9 weeks, and they continue to be fed by the parents until dispersal at 8 to 10 weeks. [1]
[1] Gehlbach, F. R. 1995. Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio). In The Birds of North America, No. 165 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C.
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