Nesting habits of eastern screech and northern saw-whet owls

As featured in the May 2007 issue of Cottage Life magazine, the Cottage Life owl house will suit an eastern screech or a northern saw-whet owl, says ornithologist Mark Peck of the Royal Ontario Museum. Both are small owls, standing about 20 cm high. You can identify eastern screech owls by their yellow eyes and ear tufts. The northern saw-whet has no ear tufts, a very round face, and a streaked, rusty breast.

The eastern screech owl’s usual call is more like a gentle horse whinny than a screech. The northern saw-whet, although named for the sound of whetting (or sharpening) a saw, more often makes a monotonous whistle, too-too-too-too. But both owls have a considerable repertoire, especially in fall when they find a mate (usually for life) and establish their territory, and during spring mating when the male bird starts his love calls just after sunset, sometimes singing all night.

With both species, the female chooses a nesting cavity within her partner’s territory, just before mating. She’ll happily choose a nest box if one’s available. The pair doesn’t fashion a nest; instead, they settle into whatever debris – wood chips, bits of fur, and feathers – is left from the season before. The female lays her eggs – usually five or six – in April or May. She incubates them for a month, while the male keeps her fed and sometimes joins her in the nest. You’ll notice the most activity at dusk, when the male delivers dinner and the female may leave briefly to hunt.

Once the eggs start hatching, the male owl goes into overdrive, hunting for mice, voles, insects, and other birds to feed the family. He starts to work around dusk and will hunt most of the evening. When the nestlings are about two weeks old, the mother hunts for short periods too.

The best chance to view the owl family comes when the babies are about a month old and ready to leave the nest, says Peck. The fledglings actually venture forth before they can fly well. For a few nights, they make brief practice flights from limb to limb; during the day, the whole family will roost quietly together. Look carefully in tree branches near and at the same height as the nest box, and you’ll spot them.  Just don't get too close; stay back about 10 metres, says Peck.

For more info, see the May 2007 issue of Cottage Life magazine.

Photo: an owl box decorated by Anna Camilleri

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