Georgia · Year-round resident

Eastern Screech-Owls in Georgia

When eastern screech-owls are present in Georgia, when they nest, which native Georgia plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–9a yard.

Owls (Strigidae)Eastern Screech-OwlMegascops asio

Status in Georgia: Year-round resident
Nesting window: February–May
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 7a–9a
Nest box: 3 in hole, 8 × 8 in floor, 10–30 ft

When to expect eastern screech-owls in Georgia

Eastern Screech-Owls live in Georgia all year. Mild winters bring irregular purple finch and pine-siskin irruptions from the north. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward mice and roosting birds.

Humid subtropical, with cooler mountains in the north and a warm coastal plain in the south.

Nesting in Georgia

Across Georgia, eastern screech-owls typically nest from February–May. Nest site: tree cavity or nest box with wood-chip base. Females lay 2–6 eggs, incubate for 26–34 days, and young leave the nest after about 28 days.

Hot, humid summers; bluebirds can raise three broods but boxes in full sun overheat.

Have boxes cleaned and mounted before January — eastern screech-owls begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
Use a 3 in entrance on a 8 × 8 in floor, mounted 10–30 ft.
Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
Clean out old nests after each brood and again after May.

Native Georgia plants that attract eastern screech-owls

Of the regional native plants we track for Georgia, these 8 provide food or cover eastern screech-owls use:

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

High-fat fall fruit critical before migration and winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Supports hundreds of caterpillar species used to feed nestlings.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Feeding eastern screech-owls through the Georgia year

Screech-owls roost in nest boxes by day; a box on a large tree 10–30 ft up is often used year after year.

Best foods: .
In Georgia's winter: Mild winters bring irregular purple finch and pine-siskin irruptions from the north.

Full diet breakdown for eastern screech-owls

Frequently asked

Are eastern screech-owls in Georgia year-round?

Yes. Eastern Screech-Owls are year-round residents in Georgia.

When do eastern screech-owls nest in Georgia?

Nesting in Georgia typically runs February–May, with 1 per season. Clutches are 2–6 eggs, incubated for 26–34 days.

What native plants attract eastern screech-owls in Georgia?

Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush, Tall goldenrod are native plants in Georgia that provide food or cover for eastern screech-owls.

What size birdhouse hole do eastern screech-owls need?

3 in, with a floor of 8 × 8 in mounted 10–30 ft.

Other backyard birds in Georgia

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Orchard Oriole Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Painted Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird House Sparrow European Starling Rufous Hummingbird White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Eurasian Collared-Dove

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.