Western Screech-Owls don't actually screech. Their main call is a series of accelerating short whistles, often described as a 'bouncing ball'.
They're nocturnal hunters but occasionally take prey by daylight in shaded canyons.
They were considered the same species as the Eastern Screech-Owl until 1983, when they were split based on voice and DNA.
Western Screech-Owls use nest boxes readily in wooded yards. They're already living in many western neighborhoods.
Mount a 3" hole box 10–20 ft up on a mature tree, ideally near water (creek, pond, large yard with regular watering).
They hunt their own, rodents, insects, small birds. No feeders.
Mature trees, dense ivy on tree trunks, or shaded shrubs for daytime roosting.
European Starlings; consider starling-resistant entrances.
Don't disturb a roosting owl; they can abandon eggs or chicks.
A small western forest owl found from southern Alaska to central Mexico.
Resident from coastal Alaska south through BC, Washington, Oregon, and California.
Year-round throughout the Rockies, Great Basin, and Southwest.
Resident in pine-oak forest through central Mexico.
Riparian forest, oak woodland, lower-elevation pine, and suburban yards with mature trees. Often found near water.
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.
Same setup as Eastern Screech, year-round resident in suburban habitat.