My Neighbor, the Western Screech-Owl

Have you ever heard a strange whistle in the night sometimes?

It may have sounded similar to a Great Horned Owl with its hoo-hoots, but where a Great Horned Owl's song echoes, this one is a bit peculiar. It starts off with a similar hoo-hoot, but then rapidly accelerates, sounding almost like a cue ball bouncing on a wooden floor before rolling away. 

If you have heard such a sound before, that is the song of the Western Screech-Owl. Despite its name, you'll notice that its song is anything but a screech. The Screech-Owl part of the name is more apt for the Eastern Screech-Owl's song with its whinnying trill. The two species were considered to be the same up until the 1980s because of their remarkable likeness and despite not screeching, the Western Screech-Owl inherited the misnomer in the split.

Standing at a 'mighty' 7-inches to 10-inches tall, the Western Screech-Owl is an inconspicuous, but common little owl of the west. It sports small ear tufts on its square, stoutly head and peers at the world through large, yellow eyes. Its gray plumage allows it to camouflage excellently against a backdrop of trees. When frightened, it will pull its feathers taut, causing it to blend in perfectly with tree bark. 

It may be that you have one of these owls as your neighbor, but their nightly disguise keeps you from noticing them.

Their eyes also help them navigate the darkness, locating prey by sound as well as sight. Western Screech-Owls will eat your normal owl-ish diet, such as small mammals like rodents and larger insects like moths, but don't let their diminutive size fool you. These owls are capable of hunting other small birds, lizards, snakes, and even cottontail rabbits! Their diets will change based on the season and the location. After consuming these creatures, owls will spit out a pellet, comprised of all the bits and pieces they weren't able to digest. These pellets are another telltale sign that these owls have made your neighborhood their local haunt.

Some ways that you can be good neighbors back to these owls is to stop the use of rodenticide, turning outdoor lights off when possible, and respecting their space when they do choose to perch nearby. Use zoom lenses when capturing photos of raptors to ensure that they do not feel threatened by your presence. This is especially true during breeding season, where they create nests inside of cavities, such as a hollow tree or even backyard nest boxes. 

Next time you hear a cue ball clattering in the moonlit distance, keep an eye out for these adorable little neighbors swooping around!

This articles was written as part of Audubon Center at Debs Park's Fall 2025 Happy Owl-o-Ween newsletter.