EASTERN SCREECH OWL 255 



contracted, it can also see perfectly in the brightest daylight, though 

 it seems confused when suddenly brought from darkness to sunlight. 

 The only one I ever induced to leave its nest voluntarily in daylight 

 flew perfectly and swiftly off through the woods for a long distance. 



Captive owls that I have tethered in the open could see clearly every 

 bird that flew across the sky and would follow them with the eyes until 

 out of sight. 



As with all owls, the screech owl's hearing is very acute and of great 

 assistance to it in its midnight hunting. The rustling of a mouse in the 

 dry leaves or grass, the stirring of a bird on its roost, the buzz or soft 

 flutter of an insect's wings, or the splash of a fish in a dark pool, all 

 serve to guide it to its prey. Likewise its keen ears often warn it of an 

 approaching enemy. Probably its ears are fully as useful as its eyes 

 at night. 



Screech owls are ordinarily quiet, gentle birds; they can be lifted 

 from their nests or roosting holes without offering any resistance ; they 

 may indulge in ominous bill snapping but seldom use their claws, which 

 are sharp as needles. They make very good pets, provided they do 

 not come in contact with other species, or even other individuals of 

 their own species, which may result in tragedies; they love to be 

 stroked or have their heads scratched; they are very cleanly, drink 

 water freely, and are fond of bathing. Wild owls have been known 

 to bathe in bird baths, often exhausting the supply. 



Dr. Fisher (1893b) says: "Once about dusk the writer came upon 

 a small family which had emerged the moment before from the water. 

 They were sitting on some low alders over a shallow portion of the 

 stream, ruffling up and shaking the water from their feathers, and 

 presented a soaked and forlorn appearance. Apparently they were 

 too wet to be able to fly well, for when approached they fluttered off 

 heavily into the thicket and soon escaped from sight in the growing 

 darkness. The number of times this Owl has been drowned in water 

 barrels indicates its fondness for bathing." 



W. I. Lyon (1922) had an interesting experience with one of these 

 owls that was nesting in the same tree with a pair of flickers ; the owl's 

 eggs were destroyed, and for five consecutive days thereafter the owl 

 was found in the flicker's nest, brooding the young flickers; the latter 

 were regularly fed by their parents and were always uninjured; the 

 owl had even brought in a small bird to feed to the young. 



The screech owl is well aware of the concealing value of its well- 

 known hiding pose; it will maintain this pose, even though closely 

 approached, and remain immovable until it realizes that it is dis- 

 covered; then a decided change takes place. The following extract 

 from Owen Durfee's notes gives a very good idea of the whole per- 

 formance: "I had the pleasure of finding two screech owls sitting side 

 by side on a horizontal limb. The attitude was long drawn out, 



