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February: The Eastern “Screechless” Owl
By Dan Zarlenga, Missouri Department of Conservation
Photo caption: The eastern screech owl is actually screechless, preferring to whinny instead.
Photo courtesy Jim Rathert, Missouri Department of Conservation
If there was ever a creature that was innocent of what its name accuses it of, it’s got to be the eastern screech owl.
The screech owl is a fairly common resident throughout the state of Missouri. You’re likely to find them living in cedar or pine trees, oftentimes within a cavity previously created by a woodpecker. But any dead or hollow tree might be a home for them. Screech owls are small, sporting piercing yellow eyes and conspicuous ear tufts. Be on the lookout for gray, brown, or red color variations of these owls, although the red is a lot less common in the Show-Me-State.
Eastern screech owls inhabit a variety of natural spaces, from open woodlands to forests, rural woodlots, orchards, and deep woods. They also adapt fairly well to human presence and can be found in city parks and lots, or suburban neighborhoods.
The diminutive screech owl tends to feed on small prey, like mice, shrews, moles, frogs, and small birds, as do many owls. However, screech owls will even go for insects including beetles, grasshoppers, and moths, as well as fish and crayfish.
But what of these wrongful accusations? You see, even though they are called “screech” owls, they don’t really screech! The sounds they create more evoke the whinny a miniature horse might make. Their calls are a high-pitched, quivering whistle which ascends in pitch only to descend into a whinny—as if a tiny pony has just reared up on its hind legs. Extended, monotone trills are also part of their vocal repertoire, often performed as a duet with a mate. You might be hearing these on a dark February night, as this is the time of year when screech owls are courting. It’s an eerie sound that could lead you to believe that some supernatural activity might be at play!
Now when it comes to screeching, there is an owl who does do that. It’s the barn owl. This species is somewhat less common in Missouri and gets its name because it often nests in structures like barns and grain elevators. The harsh, raspy calls it makes truly sound like screeches and hisses. They can be quite startling.
So, screech owls don’t really screech as their name implies. It’s barn owls that do the screeching. On the other hand, barn owls do live up to their name, because they are found in barns.
But the confusion doesn’t end there. The barn owl itself is sometimes mistaken in name for another owl, the barred owl. The barred owl is commonly found in Missouri and earns its moniker by the many dark bars seen on its chest.
It would appear that mistaken identity abounds in the world of owls.
As you go about your nocturnal wanderings, keep your ear and mind alert. The miniature horse whinny you hear coming from the woods isn’t a horse, but a screech owl. And that startling screech causing your hair to stand on end is not from a screech owl, it’s the barn owl making its presence known. Just don’t confuse that one with the barred owl.
It’s all pretty simple, really.