Eastern Screech-Owls in Pennsylvania
When eastern screech-owls are present in Pennsylvania, when they nest, which native Pennsylvania plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–7b yard.
- Status in Pennsylvania
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–May
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5a–7b
- Nest box
- 3 in hole, 8 × 8 in floor, 10–30 ft
When to expect eastern screech-owls in Pennsylvania
Eastern Screech-Owls live in Pennsylvania all year. Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state. 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, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.
Nesting in Pennsylvania
Across Pennsylvania, 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 summers; bluebirds typically raise two broods.
- 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 Pennsylvania plants that attract eastern screech-owls
Of the regional native plants we track for Pennsylvania, these 8 provide food or cover eastern screech-owls use:
Summer fruit and a major caterpillar host.
Acorns and insects.
Fall seed.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Feeding eastern screech-owls through the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania's winter: Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state.
Frequently asked
Are eastern screech-owls in Pennsylvania year-round?
Yes. Eastern Screech-Owls are year-round residents in Pennsylvania.
When do eastern screech-owls nest in Pennsylvania?
Nesting in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Black cherry, White oak, New England aster, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, Bur oak, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Pennsylvania 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.
Eastern Screech-Owls in other regions
Other backyard birds in Pennsylvania
Sources
- Eastern Screech-Owl — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Screech-Owl life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Screech-Owl — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Pennsylvania
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
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.