The Screech Owl {Otus asio) 



By Henry W. Henshavv 



Length : About 8 inches. Our smallest owl with ear tufts. There are 

 two distinct phases of plumage, one grayish and the other bright rufous. 



Range: Resident throughout the United States, southern Canada, and 

 northern Mexico. 



Habits and economic status : The little screech owl inhabits orchards, groves, 

 and thickets, and hunts for its prey in such places as well as along hedgerows 

 and in the open. During warm spells in winter it forages quite extensively 

 and stores up in some hollow tree considerable quantities of food for use 

 during inclement weather. Such larders frequently contain enough mice or 

 other prey to bridge over a period of a week or more. With the exception 

 of the burrowing owl it is probably the most insectivorous of the nocturnal 

 birds of prey. It feeds also upon small mammals, birds, reptiles, batrachians, 

 fish, spiders, crawfish, scorpions, and earthworms. Grasshoppers, crickets, 

 ground-dwelling beetles, and caterpillars are its favorites among insects, as are 

 field mice among mammals and sparrows among birds. Out of 324 stomachs 

 examined, 169 were found to contain insects ; 142, small mammals ; 56, birds ; 

 and 15, crawfish. The screech owl should be encouraged to stay near barns 

 and outhouses, as it will keep in check house mice and wood mice, which frequent 

 such places. 



Nest : In a hole in a tree ; eggs, four to eight ; note, a soft tremulous whistle. 



This little owl is common even in towns and cities. It is occasionally seen 

 and frequently heard along the streets. 



One of the most interesting things about it is its variation in color. The 

 color plate gives an excellent idea of the red phase. Now, if you will imagine 

 a specimen as gray as the bark of a tree, you will have an idea of the other extreme 

 of color. Then you must remember that there are all degrees of variation or 

 mixture from the red to the gray. 



Another interesting feature is the pair of ear-tufts or so-called horns. If 

 fhe bird in the picture were facing you, the tufts would appear much more like 

 horns. The cut apparently represents the screech owl at night after supper. His 

 ears sag back and his whole attitude is one of content. Indeed, he looks as 

 though he might be stuffed with mice instead of excelsior. Had his picture 

 been taken before supper, the ear tufts would have been raised and the whole 

 body would have shown alertness in every line, like the terrier's when he 

 asked, "Who said rats?" 



It is not very often that this or any of the owls, except the great horned 

 owl. moves about much in the daytime. For one reason, as everyone knows, 

 they can not see well in bright light. Then again their food, mainly mice, is 



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