Eastern Screech-Owls come in two color morphs, gray and red. That occur in the same nest with no functional difference.
Their 'whinny' call drops in pitch like a horse's whinny, an unusual vocal pattern for an owl.
They've been documented bringing live snakes to their nest, where the snakes eat parasites and improve owl chick survival.
Eastern Screech-Owls readily use nest boxes mounted on tree trunks. They're already in many yards but rarely seen.
Mount a 3" hole box 10–20 ft up on a tree trunk. Add wood chips or shavings to the box floor.
They hunt their own, small rodents, large insects, and small birds at night. No feeders.
Mature trees with cavities and dense undergrowth nearby for daytime roosting.
European Starlings and squirrels can take over boxes; a starling-resistant entrance and metal box predator guard help.
Don't approach the box during daytime, disturbed adults may abandon.
A small forest owl of the eastern half of North America, common but rarely seen.
Year-round residents from Maine to Florida and west to eastern Texas.
Resident in southern Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes.
Local resident populations in northeastern Mexico.
Mature deciduous and mixed forest, suburban yards with old shade trees, parks. They thrive in well-treed neighborhoods.
This species needs a box larger or differently-shaped than our three standard sizes. We make these as one-off prints to the published nest dimensions, with all the species-specific requirements baked in.
Often spotted at the entrance in afternoon sun. A wood-shaving floor 2" deep is essential.