Tennessee · Year-round resident

Eastern Screech-Owls in Tennessee

When eastern screech-owls are present in Tennessee, when they nest, which native Tennessee plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–8a yard.

Owls (Strigidae)Eastern Screech-OwlMegascops asio

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

When to expect eastern screech-owls in Tennessee

Eastern Screech-Owls live in Tennessee all year. Moderate winters; high elevations in the Smokies hold northern species year-round. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward mice and roosting birds.

Humid subtropical, from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Mississippi River floodplain.

Nesting in Tennessee

Across Tennessee, 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.

Hot, humid summers in the valleys.

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 Tennessee plants that attract eastern screech-owls

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

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

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

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

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.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

Feeding eastern screech-owls through the Tennessee 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 Tennessee's winter: Moderate winters; high elevations in the Smokies hold northern species year-round.

Full diet breakdown for eastern screech-owls

Frequently asked

Are eastern screech-owls in Tennessee year-round?

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

When do eastern screech-owls nest in Tennessee?

Nesting in Tennessee 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 Tennessee?

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

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch 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 Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted 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 Pine 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.