Bird
Eastern Screech-Owl
The moist owlette
Where They Live
Eastern screech-owls call southern Maine home year-round, especially in wooded areas near water. They’re just as comfortable in suburban neighborhoods as they are in deep forest, anywhere with trees and a good cavity to hide in.
Owl About The Screechers
Despite the name, this owl doesn’t really screech. Instead, it fills the night with soft trills and haunting whinnies. But “Eastern Soft Trill Owl” doesn’t really roll off the tongue.
Masters of disguise, screech-owls often roost in tree cavities, pressing themselves still so they look just like part of the trunk. They hunt by sensing even the slightest movement, using specialized feathers around their beak like whiskers. In winter, they’ve been known to sit on frozen prey to thaw it out, efficient and a little eerie.
Quick Facts
Average Size
At just 8-10 inches tall with a wingspan of about 1½-2 feet, they’re small and stocky – roughly robin-sized, but with a much rounder, more compact build.
What's on the Menu
Small but fierce hunters, they feed mostly on rodents and insects, but won’t pass up shrews, bats, frogs, or even small fish. If food is plentiful, they stash extra in tree cavities for later, nature’s meal prep.
The Look
Small with short ear tufts that can be raised or flattened, yellow eyes, and color that varies from gray to reddish-brown, providing near-perfect camouflage against tree bark.
