Western screech owl (Megascops kennicottii)
Continuing with our October Spooky Season theme, this week we’ll meet one of our most common, least seen “creepy” critters. Meet the western screech owl (Megascops kennicottii).
Despite the screech owl’s elusive nature, you do have a chance of seeing one IRL (in real life) because our backyard is their preferred Oregon habitat. Most sightings of western screech owls here occur from the Cascades to the Pacific.
When it comes to recorded “sightings” of owls, many are really “hearings” as your odds of hearing a screech owl in the night are probably higher than seeing one during the day.
Fun fact: Screech owls don’t actually screech (now barn owls…boy do they screech!). You can listen to the screech owls’ various calls here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Screech-Owl/sounds
Why are western screech owls so hard to spot? There are several reasons; first is their diminutive size. Your average western screech owl probably won’t be cast in a horror film any time soon – at “robin-sized” (7 1/2 to 9 inches) they don’t exactly strike fear into your heart.
Their small stature makes it very easy for them to hide in small openings in trees or even in plain sight. Their feathers are typically gray, but they can be gray, a mix of gray and brown or brown. Each color morph comes with black streaked feathers. The bottom line is, they sport perfect “blend into a tree trunk” camo.
When a screech owl senses danger, they will stand up very tall, narrow their huge golden eyes to mere slits and stay stock still. Clearly our pictured one-eyed western screech owl (an educational rescue bird cared for by Wildlife Images) was feeling quite chill allowing us to get an excellent view.
Still, for all their camo skills, many folks have seen screech owls during daylight hours, so it pays to keep an eye on the trees when you’re out strolling our many area trails or enjoying the parks around Lost Creek Lake – a screech owl hotspot.
We’ve learned that the “screech” part of the western screech owl’s name is a misnomer. What about the “western” part? That is accurate. Western screech owls live only in the western states as well as along the very western edge of Canada and south into Central America.
There is also an eastern screech owl species which – you guessed it – lives in the eastern states.
Because screech owls live throughout western states, they have adapted to a variety of habitats. They can be found in our low elevation conifer forests and in cactus groves in Arizona and New Mexico. They have also adapted to suburban settings. Luckily for us, their absolute favorite habitat is the riparian zone, so we get more than our fair share of screechers.
Due to their small size, screech owls don’t quite have “apex predator” status, but they are strictly carnivorous and can take down prey larger than themselves when they have a mind to. While they do dine on small mammals, as well as crayfish, frogs and lizards, the bulk of the western screech owl’s diet is made up of arthropods.
Their favored riparian habitat is perfect for finding insect meals all months of the year. Western screech owls like snacking on insects and worms so much they can be seen meandering along the ground looking for a meal as often as swooping down on one.
Like all owls, screech owls do the bulk of their hunting from dusk ‘til dawn, which is why seeing them during spooky season is more common – they have more dark hours in which to be active.
If you’d like to increase your chances of seeing a western screech owl IRL, you can try building a nest box. Nest box size, shape and location are very specific for different bird species. You can learn all about how to build (or buy) the right screech owl nest box here: https://nestwatch.org/learn/all-about-birdhouses/.