Diet
What do eastern screech-owls eat?
Insects, mice, small birds and crayfish.
Owls (Strigidae)Eastern Screech-OwlMegascops asio
Spring and summer diet
- Moths, crickets and small rodents
Fall and winter diet
- Mice and roosting birds
Best feeder foods
Screech-owls roost in nest boxes by day; a box on a large tree 10–30 ft up is often used year after year.
Where eastern screech-owls need winter food
Regions where eastern screech-owls are present in the cold months:
AlabamaArkansasColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOntarioPennsylvaniaQuebecRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasVermontVirginiaWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Frequently asked
What do eastern screech-owls eat?
Insects, mice, small birds and crayfish.
What is the best food to feed eastern screech-owls?
.
What do eastern screech-owls eat in winter?
Mice and roosting birds.
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
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.