The Screech Owl is one of the most widespread and common small owls in North America, often living unnoticed in suburban parks and backyards due to its strictly nocturnal habits. Despite its name, this compact raptor’s vocalizations are often musical and surprisingly gentle, leading many listeners to be confused about the source of the sounds they hear at night. The owl’s auditory profile is composed of distinct calls that serve as the primary way it communicates across its range. These unique sounds are the best way to determine if one of these small, ear-tufted birds is your neighbor.
The Signature Calls of the Screech Owl
The most common vocalizations of the Screech Owl are not harsh screeches, but two distinct types of calls: the whinny and the trill. The whinny is a descending, wavering sound lasting about two seconds, often likened to a miniature horse. This call is generally used to defend territory and is frequently heard during aggressive interactions.
The second primary sound is a monotonic trill, a rapid, even-pitched series of notes that sounds like a purring or tremulous whistle. This trill, often called a “bounce song,” typically lasts three to six seconds. It is used by males to attract mates and help pairs maintain contact. Harsh screeches are usually rare alarm calls or distress signals, not standard vocalizations.
Regional Differences in Vocalizations
The two main species across North America, the Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio) and the Western Screech Owl (Megascops kennicottii), can be virtually identical in appearance, but their primary calls are noticeably different. The Eastern Screech Owl, found primarily east of the Rocky Mountains, utilizes the descending whinny and the steady bounce trill. These two calls are the diagnostic sounds that identify the Eastern species.
The Western Screech Owl, which lives in the western half of the continent, has a different signature call: a series of short, whistled hoots. This vocalization is often described as a “bouncing ball” effect because the hoots start slowly and then accelerate into a rapid, rhythmic series. A listener’s location is a reliable indicator of which species they are hearing, as the ranges of the two owls only overlap in a few specific areas.
Why and When Owls Vocalize
Screech Owls use their varied vocalizations for several specific behavioral functions, with timing often centered around the reproductive cycle. Calls are used extensively for territorial defense, serving to warn other owls to stay away from a defended area. Males advertise their presence to potential mates, a function that peaks during the courtship period of late winter and early spring.
The owls also use sounds for communication within a pair, with duets helping to reinforce their pair bond. Juvenile owls, or fledglings, produce high-pitched, persistent screeches used specifically to beg for food from their parents. Vocal activity is highest immediately after sunset and before sunrise, corresponding to the peak activity periods for these nocturnal hunters.
Distinguishing Screech Owls from Other Night Noises
Distinguishing a Screech Owl’s call from other nocturnal sounds requires attention to cadence and pitch. The descending whinny of the Eastern Screech Owl should not be confused with the deep, resonant hooting of the larger Great Horned Owl, which uses a rhythmic pattern of three to eight hoots.
The Western Screech Owl’s accelerating, bouncy series of hoots is distinct from the repeated, mechanical whistle of the smaller Northern Saw-whet Owl. The true, harsh screech that some people associate with the name is more frequently heard from other species, most notably the Barn Owl, which emits a loud, raspy shriek. The key to identifying a Screech Owl is to listen for the specific features of their main calls: the horse-like whinny or the steady, purring trill of the Eastern species, or the accelerating, bouncing hoots of the Western species.