[Length 8.5 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

Screech-Owls are probably the most common owls in the United States. They are small, gray or reddish colored owls, with heavy streaking, small ear tufts, and glaring yellow eyes. They occur in a variety of habitats throughout the US and southern and western Canada, including forests, swamps, orchards, parks, and suburban woodlots. In the southwest, they also occur in desert areas. The Western Screech-Owl (Otus kennicottii) and the Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio) were once considered to be the same species. They are identical in plumage and overall appearance, and are best separated by range and vocalization differences. The songs and vocalizations of the two Screech-Owls are very different. The Eastern Screech-Owl gives either a quavering, descending series of whistled notes (which sounds a little like the "whinnying" of a horse), or a long, hollow-sounding trill. The Western Screech-Owl gives either a series of hollow, whistled notes which accelerate like the rhythm of a bouncing ball, or a short trill followed immediately by a longer trill. These adorable baby Eastern Screech-Owls were raised in a nest box put up in a tree at the edge of a trailer park in heart of the Texas Hill Country. Photo taken with a Nikkor 180mm EDAF f2.8 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 1999)

[Length 8.5 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This Eastern Screech-Owl was photographed at Dewind's Feeders, Saleneno, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S f4 lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=630mm) on a Nikon D100 camera. (Date: January 14, 2005)

[Length 8.5 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This Eastern Screech-Owl was photographed at Dewind's Feeders, Saleneno, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S f4 lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=630mm) on a Nikon D100 camera. (Date: January 14, 2005)

[Length 8.5 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This Eastern Screech-Owl was photographed at the WBC Quinta Mazatlan sanctuary, McAllen, TX. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: May 9, 2009)

[Length 8.5 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This Eastern Screech-Owl was photographed at Estero Llano Grande State PArk, Weslaco, Texas. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens + Nikkor TC20E III 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D7000 camera. (Date: March 29, 2011)

[Length 8.5 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This Eastern Screech-Owl was photographed at Estero Llano Grande State PArk, Weslaco, Texas. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens + Nikkor TC20E III 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D7000 camera. (Date: March 29, 2011)

[Length 6.75 in. Wingspan 12 in.]

This Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl was photographed at El Canelo Ranch, Raymondville, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S f4 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D100 camera. (Date: March 25, 2004)

[Length 6.75 in. Wingspan 12 in.]

This Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl was photographed at a private residence in Tucson, Arizona. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Ektachrome 200 film. (Date: May 1985)