Ohio · Year-round resident

Eastern Screech-Owls in Ohio

When eastern screech-owls are present in Ohio, when they nest, which native Ohio plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7a yard.

Owls (Strigidae)Eastern Screech-OwlMegascops asio

Status in Ohio: Year-round resident
Nesting window: March–May
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 5b–7a
Nest box: 3 in hole, 8 × 8 in floor, 10–30 ft

When to expect eastern screech-owls in Ohio

Eastern Screech-Owls live in Ohio all year. Snow and sub-freezing stretches are routine; Carolina Chickadees hold the south and Black-capped 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 continental; cold winters and warm summers, with Lake Erie moderating the north coast.

Nesting in Ohio

Across Ohio, eastern screech-owls typically nest from March–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, humid summers; western Lake Erie marshes are a major migration stopover.

Have boxes cleaned and mounted before February — 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 Ohio plants that attract eastern screech-owls

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

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early fruit.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

High-fat fall berries.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

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

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.

Feeding eastern screech-owls through the Ohio 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 Ohio's winter: Snow and sub-freezing stretches are routine; Carolina Chickadees hold the south and Black-capped the north.

Full diet breakdown for eastern screech-owls

Frequently asked

Are eastern screech-owls in Ohio year-round?

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

When do eastern screech-owls nest in Ohio?

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

What native plants attract eastern screech-owls in Ohio?

Serviceberry, Spicebush, Flowering dogwood, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Ohio 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 Ohio

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee 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 Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling 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.