Montana · Year-round resident

Eastern Screech-Owls in Montana

When eastern screech-owls are present in Montana, when they nest, which native Montana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–6a yard.

Owls (Strigidae)Eastern Screech-OwlMegascops asio

Status in Montana: Year-round resident
Nesting window: April–May
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3a–6a
Nest box: 3 in hole, 8 × 8 in floor, 10–30 ft

When to expect eastern screech-owls in Montana

Eastern Screech-Owls live in Montana all year. Very cold winters on the plains, with chinook winds bringing sudden thaws. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward mice and roosting birds.

Continental — Rocky Mountain forest in the west, semi-arid Great Plains in the east.

Nesting in Montana

Across Montana, eastern screech-owls typically nest from April–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.

Warm, dry summers and a short growing season.

Have boxes cleaned and mounted before March — 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 Montana plants that attract eastern screech-owls

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

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Paper birch

Betula papyrifera · Tree

Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Common hackberry

Celtis occidentalis · Tree

Sweet dry fruit on the branch all winter.

Ponderosa pine

Pinus ponderosa · Tree

Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.

Rabbitbrush

Ericameria nauseosa · Shrub

Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.

Douglas fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii · Tree

Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees.

Feeding eastern screech-owls through the Montana 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 Montana's winter: Very cold winters on the plains, with chinook winds bringing sudden thaws.

Full diet breakdown for eastern screech-owls

Frequently asked

Are eastern screech-owls in Montana year-round?

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

When do eastern screech-owls nest in Montana?

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

What native plants attract eastern screech-owls in Montana?

Bur oak, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Chokecherry, Common hackberry, Ponderosa pine, Rabbitbrush, Douglas fir are native plants in Montana 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 Montana

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Chestnut-backed Chickadee Pygmy Nuthatch Black-chinned Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Varied Thrush Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole 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.