South Dakota · Year-round resident

Eastern Screech-Owls in South Dakota

When eastern screech-owls are present in South Dakota, when they nest, which native South Dakota plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–5b yard.

Owls (Strigidae)Eastern Screech-OwlMegascops asio

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

When to expect eastern screech-owls in South Dakota

Eastern Screech-Owls live in South Dakota all year. Cold, windy winters. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward mice and roosting birds.

Continental, with prairie east of the Missouri River and the forested Black Hills in the west.

Nesting in South Dakota

Across South Dakota, 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 with thunderstorms; the Black Hills host western mountain birds.

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 South Dakota plants that attract eastern screech-owls

Of the regional native plants we track for South Dakota, 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.

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.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Sugar maple

Acer saccharum · Tree

Hosts hundreds of caterpillar species; spring flowers draw early insects.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Common hackberry

Celtis occidentalis · Tree

Sweet dry fruit on the branch all winter.

Feeding eastern screech-owls through the South Dakota 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 South Dakota's winter: Cold, windy winters.

Full diet breakdown for eastern screech-owls

Frequently asked

Are eastern screech-owls in South Dakota year-round?

Yes. Eastern Screech-Owls are year-round residents in South Dakota.

When do eastern screech-owls nest in South Dakota?

Nesting in South Dakota 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 South Dakota?

Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, New England aster, Tall goldenrod, Sugar maple, Chokecherry, Common hackberry are native plants in South Dakota 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 South Dakota

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Red-headed Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Pygmy Nuthatch Spotted Towhee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow 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.