Eastern Screech Owl

Megascops asio Jan–May

A very small owl similar in size to a robin, they come in two variations, either with reddish brown or gray plumage. They have a wide-ranging diet that includes amphibians, insects, earthworms, small mammals, and songbirds. Nesting in existing cavities, these owls are very adaptable and inhabit tree hollows made by squirrels or woodpeckers, nest boxes intended for other birds such as Wood Ducks, and even in abandoned mailboxes. Their call is very different from the typical sound associated with owls. Keep an ear out for a rapid trill of repeated ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho that lasts three to six seconds, staying relatively constant in pitch, or a high-pitched descending whinny that brings to mind a horse, lasting around two seconds.