Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)
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. Male Eastern Screech-Owls are smaller than females, and though the male is smaller, his voice is deeper than the female’s.
The two common color morphs, can be either mostly gray or mostly reddish-brown (rufous). Red and gray individuals occur across the range of the Eastern Screech-Owl, with about one-third of all individuals being red. Whatever the overall color, they are patterned with complex bands and spots that give the bird excellent camouflage against tree bark. Eyes are yellow.
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. These supremely camouflaged birds hide out in nooks and tree crannies during the daylight hours. Small birds can help you find screech-owls during the day. Listen for a commotion of Blue Jays, chickadees, and titmice—they may be mobbing a screech-owl, swooping around it with noisy calls.
