CENTRAL TEXAS (KXAN) — What a hoot!
Central Texas photographer Dwayne Mann has been capturing on his blog the sights and sounds of eastern screech-owls living in his backyard, where they nest in Mann’s owl-friendly “treehouse.” And now’s an exciting time in the owls’ journey, as “brooding season” — when female owls lay eggs and “brood” with skin-to-egg contact to keep them warm — is in full swing.
In early spring, female eastern screech-owls typically begin laying eggs. Once those eggs have incubated for around 26 days, they begin to hatch, per the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Both parents will “vigorously” defend the nestlings after incubation, with TPWD adding young birds will fledge and develop wing feathers to fly after about four weeks.
“The owlets fledge and the entire family leaves the nest, roosting once again in the area trees and foliage. As the owlets can not fly until taught, when they fledge they either hop flop to a nearby branch or jump / fall to the ground,” Mann’s blog read. “They learn quickly, give ’em space. The owlets have to learn to fly and hunt with the parents for a month or more, then they are on their own to go start their own family next season and establish their own habitat area.”
How to identify an eastern screech-owl
The eastern-screech owl is noted for its strong yellow eyes and notable ear tufts, per TPWD. Nestlings are covered with a fluffy white down, and there are two color morphs: a traditional gray phase and a reddish one.
All North American screech-owls are primarily nocturnal, per TPWD. Instead of creating their own nests, they spend their days in tree cavities, hollows and man-made nest boxes, per Mann’s blog.
Because of their nocturnal nature, TPWD experts said these owls are often heard and not seen. Instead of a hoot or a screech, eastern screech-owls’ calls tend to be a trill or whinny sound, per Mann’s blog.
Those interested can follow Mann’s blog, where he updates followers on the owls’ activity throughout the season.