A snapshot of a gray Screech Owl from Bird lore.

Bird lore.

A snapshot of a gray Screech Owl.

It’s dusk, and this Eastern Screech Owl in Pennsylvania has just gotten out of bed. The screech owl is one of the most nocturnal North American owls. Their tremulous, eerie call and their activity at night may be a couple reasons why people think they’re spooky, or, perhaps, it’s their eyes that alarm people. This owl can be shades of brown, red, and gray, making it easy for them to blend in with their forest surroundings, especially at night, and only seeing their round, yellow eyes peering out of the darkness may be pretty alarming. While they may be spooky to come across in the dark, their wide eyes are actually extremely helpful for the screech owl and enable it to see in dim light. This ability along with the owl’s highly sensitive ears make the Eastern Screech Owl a keen hunter. They can even hear high-frequency sounds that we can’t! But, don’t be fooled by what appears to be its pointy ears. Those points aren’t ears, just wild tufts of feathers! This one is likely waiting motionless for breakfast. The first small creature to make a move, perhaps a bird, mouse, or spider, will cause him to swoop down from his perch and catch his prey with his talons. Happy hunting!