EASTERN SCREECH OWL } Megascops asio

RANGE: Eastern North America

STATUS: The Eastern screech owl is considered widespread, a Common resident in much of its range, and possibly Critically Imperiled in Maine

THREATS: Unknown

Eastern screech owls are found throughout eastern North America, from Montana and the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, south to Tamaulipas in northeast Mexico, and from southern Ontario to Florida. Look for them — they sport either grey or red plumage — at night in open mixed woodlands, deciduous forests, parklands, wooded suburban areas, riparian woods along streams and wetlands (especially in drier areas), mature orchards, and woodlands near marshes, meadows, and fields. Screech owls roost mainly in natural cavities in large trees. The global population of Eastern screech owls is estimated at more than 770,000 birds, but declines were reported in several areas throughout the owl’s range in the early 1990s.