Eastern Screech-Owl

About the Eastern Screech-Owl

The Eastern Screech-Owl is proof that owls do not need size to have presence. Standing barely taller than a soda can, this little cavity-dweller is a master of disguise -- when it stretches tall and squints against the bark of a tree hole, it simply disappears. Texas birds come in gray and rufous color morphs, with gray dominating in the drier country.

Despite the name, screech-owls do not screech. The classic song is a soft, descending whinny like a tiny ghost horse, along with a low tremolo trill that pairs use to keep in touch. They hunt at night from low perches, taking everything from moths and beetles to mice and the occasional small bird.

They are year-round residents across most of Texas wherever there are old trees with cavities, including well-treed suburbs. The birds in my photos include one from the Mission area of the Rio Grande Valley in December 2022 -- the Valley's birds belong to the pale McCall's population -- and another from a Starr County ranch in 2025.

Finding one is a daytime game of checking every cavity and nest box entrance for a sleepy face. Once found, work quickly and quietly from a distance and let the owl keep its nap.