Megascops kennicottii macfarlani
Status
Endangered (federal)
Blue List (Provincial)
Description
The interior subspecies of Western Screech-owls are greyish-brown with dark mottled streaks all over. The chest is paler with finer black streaking. They have small ear tufts and yellow eyes. Screech owls are tiny; they would fit in a medium take out coffee cup.
Call
Confusingly Western Screech-owls don't screech. Their call is usually described as sounding like a dropped ping pong ball. They have a series of hoots getting closer together as the call goes on. If you do hear an owl screeching in the night it is generally a young Great Horned Owl begging for food, females Great Horned Owls will also sometimes make a screeching call during courtship.
Call recorded by Tayler Brooks, XC61474. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/61474.
Habitat
Western Screech-owls are dependant on thick riparian (creekside) forests with mature Black Cottonwood, Trembling Aspen or Water-birch trees. They are cavity nesters and are unable to excavate their own nests, so they are dependant on natural rot, woodpeckers, or nest boxes made by humans.
Western Screech-owl are opportunistic hunters and will eat nearly anything smaller than them, including rodents, birds, frogs, small snakes, crayfish and large volumes of insects.
The Western Screech-owl does not migrate, but may use slightly different habitat in breeding and non-breeding seasons.
Threats
Habitat loss - Not only do Screech-owls like to live along side creeks, rivers and lakes, those are some of people's favourite places too. Development for housing and agriculture, roads and highways built on relatively flat areas carved out by rivers both remove Screech owl habitat and fragment remaining habitat.
Loss of nesting trees - Dead trees are often removed from yards and parks for safety but in places they can be left they are very important as nest trees for Screech owls and other wildlife.
Predation by larger owls - Changes in habitat mean that there is less dense forest for Screech owls and more forest openings and edges where larger owls like Barred Owls and Great Horned Owls are able to hunt.
Secondary Poisoning - Not only does poisoning rodents kill off owl food, sometimes owls (and other predators) can eat mice or rats that have been poisoned but haven't died yet. These poisons can then build up in the owls, making them sick or potentially killing them.
You can help!
-Protect and restore riparian plant communities
-Retain large diameter native trees within riparian habitats, particularly ones with cavities (wildlife trees)
-Allowing natural periodic flooding of riparian woodlands to encourage regeneration
-Report sightings to your local conservation group
-Put up owl boxes on your property if you have appropriate habitat
-Avoid complete removal of dead standing trees and consider modifications such as limbing or topping trees that pose a hazard
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