Despite their name, screech owls do not screech. The eastern screech owl has a tremulous, eerie cry in the night. Screech owls enjoy eating some of our garden pests including mice, shrews, large insects, small reptiles, amphibians, songbirds, and small game birds. As with most owls, they begin hunting soon after dark. Screech owls prefer forests, farm woodlots, and shade trees in urban and suburban backyards and parks.
Dead trees provide nest sites too.
Screech owls will drink and bathe in garden ponds and birdbaths at night. The barn owl is a pale owl with long legs and dark eyes on a heart shaped face. Rusty brown above, underparts range from white to cinnamon. Females are usually darker than the male. Their nocturnal hunting jaunts net them mice, moles, shrews, rats, gophers, ground squirrels, rabbits, and skunks.