Noticing Nature

Eastern Screech Owl Nesting in Florida

by Tonya Bramlage

Of the roughly 216 different species of owl, Florida is home to five. As the smallest of our resident species, the Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio) is found throughout Florida in a wide variety of habitats from swamps to pine and oak forests, and urban and suburban areas. Screech Owls aren’t too picky when it comes to nesting habitat, but as natural areas are converted for development, their nesting options become limited. Screech Owls are secondary cavity-nesting birds, meaning they depend on other species or Mother Nature to create a nesting hole for them.
The Eastern Screech Owl is beginning its nesting season in Florida. Species like woodpeckers and squirrels will sometimes create cavities, or fungus and the natural rotting process of old and dying wood will create the perfect hollow for Screech Owls to nest. While hunting is normally done by both the male and female, during nesting the females focus on incubating 2-6, small, white, round eggs, while the male catches food and brings it back to the nest. These tiny birds of prey are great to have around because they feed on things like insects, rodents, and reptiles.
Fellow member at Venice Area Audubon Society and SRQBirdNews alert list owner, Allyson Maiolo, recently shared, “I woke up this morning and was very excited to see that our regular female Eastern Screech Owl (at least I am pretty sure it is her) has finally (after a month or so of “house shopping”) selected her nest box and has settled in for the day today. We have only spotted her new mate a couple of times, but I assume since she has picked a spot she is ready to nest!” Allyson posts regular viewing updates on her YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@varkgirl. This particular female has successfully nested in Allyson’s yard for three consecutive years and her backyard screech owl nesting box activity can also be followed at nestwatch.org.
Owls, which do not build their own nests, begin seeking out nesting habitats in early winter. After four to five weeks, the eggs will hatch and both parents will care for the young until they are ready to go off on their own (after three to four months). The necessary preparations are typically completed for nesting from mid-February through mid to late July. You will often hear its descending whistle call before you actually spot the 7-10 inch owl as they are highly camouflaged.
The tricky part about spotting a screech owl is their particular feather pattern, which makes them experts at blending in with their surroundings. But, if you happen to have a snag (standing, dead tree) in your yard or somewhere nearby, look for a large, circular hole, about three inches in size. If you find a tree with a cavity like this, it might be a woodpecker nest, or it could be the home of a Screech Owl. In the wild, owls will rely on the bedding provided by squirrel or hawk nests, or the lichen, conifer sprigs, or leaves that collect in tree hollows.
Screech owls actively forage at night while hunting small vertebrates and insects although they are also known for preying on other, smaller songbirds. Screech owls are very fierce, but they are also quite tiny when compared with birds that typically feed at bird feeders. Small birds actively “mob” (attack) screech owls and give specific calls that make them obvious to potential prey in daytime. In order to lure nesting screech owls, one must take their unique nesting needs, diet, light aversion, and bathing habits all into consideration.
Screech owls will definitely nest in man-made nesting boxes. The male owl typically roosts near to the box nest while the female owl sits on the eggs. “Mobbing calls” are often used to attract birds, but is not a good practice since it disrupts natural behavior. Another option for potential screech owl nesting is designating a snag in your yard by leaving a dead or dying tree standing.
Nesting boxes can alternatively be assembled by constructing wood panels into a fully enclosed box with a roof, a floor measuring at least 10 by 18 inches, and a five to six-inch-wide square or round entrance opening on the front-facing panel that is 10 inches from the base of the house and be placed 15-30 feet off the ground. Screech owl nesting is amazing to watch close up and the installation of nesting cameras both inside and outside of nest boxes enhances the viewing experience of what actually transpires inside. Owls usually leave naturally insulated boxes in late October to early December. Cleaning out nesting boxes annually once the owls have left, helps to insure habitation the following season.