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Megascops asio

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Eastern Screech-Owl

G5Secure Found in 25 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102821
Element CodeABNSB01030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderStrigiformes
FamilyStrigidae
GenusMegascops
Synonyms
Otus asio(Linnaeus, 1758)
Other Common Names
eastern screech-owl (EN) Petit-duc maculé (FR) Tecolote Oriental (ES)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Formerly treated as a subgenus within Otus (Marshall and King in Amadon and Bull 1988), but mitochondrial DNA and vocal differences with Old World species indicate that generic status is warranted (Konig et al. 1999).

Formerly considered conspecific with western O. kennicottii and Mexican and Middle American O. seductus and O. cooperi. Mixed pairs and overlap of Asio and kennicottii in se. Colorado and s. Texas attributed to long-distance dispersal in marginally poor habitat. Sympatry without interbreeding with kennicottii reported for w. Edwards Plateau (Dixon 1989).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
Change Date1996-11-27
Edition Date2014-03-13
Edition AuthorsSnyder, D., and G. Hammerson. Modified 2014-03-13 by Jue, Sally S.
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Range Extent Comments
Resident from southern Saskatchewan (Adam 1987) and southern Manitoba east across southern Canada and northern U.S. to Maine, south through eastern U.S. to San Luis Potosi, southern Texas, Gulf Coast, and southern Florida, west to eastern Colorado.
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of occurrences (subpopulations), with an estimated 900,000 individuals by Partners in Flight (2013).
Threat Impact Comments
This species ahs the broadest ecological niche of any owl in its range and readily habituates to people (Gehlbach, 1995).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Open woodland, deciduous forest, orchards, woodland/forest edge, swamps, parklands, residential areas in towns, scrub, and riparian woodland in drier regions. Evergreen woodland/ forest little used in northeastern U.S. Roosts in tree hollow, among foliage close to trunk, in rock crevice, old magpie nest, nest box, under eaves, or similar site.

Nests in natural cavity, old woodpecker hole, or bird box, often 1.5-9 m above ground; sites with opening of about 7-20 cm (Voous and Cameron 1989); in Kentucky avoided deep cavities (more than 60 cm) and shallow cavities, used cavities averaged 31 cm deep. In south-central Iowa, the highest use of nest boxes occurred in riparian sites (Iowa Bird Life, 1990).

Ecology

Local population density in suitable habitat ranges from fewer than 1 to several per sq km (Johnsgard 1988). In Ohio, young dispersed an average of only 32 km by the spring following hatching; dispersal was much less in Texas and Kentucky (mean = 4.4 km) studies (Johnsgard 1988, Belthoff and Ritchison 1989). In Kentucky, juveniles settled 2-11 days after departing from natal areas; high mortality rate in juveniles (Belthoff and Ritchison 1989). Generally very sedentary. Home range size varies seasonally. Population fluctuations usually are minor, though die-offs may occur in far north when snow cover is deep and long-lasting (Voous and Cameron 1989).

Reproduction

Eggs: March-May (April-May in north). Clutch size usually is 4-5 in north, 3 in Florida; increases south to north, and east to west. Incubation is mainly/entirely by female, 3-4 weeks. Young are tended by both parents, leave nest at 30-32 days; usually one or both parents roost with young for several weeks after fledging. Most breed in first year. In Kentucky, juveniles dispersed in mid-July, an average of 55 days after fledging (Belthoff and Ritchison 1989).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedOld fieldSuburban/orchard
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS3Yes
ManitobaS3Yes
OntarioS4Yes
SaskatchewanS2Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
IllinoisS5Yes
NebraskaS4Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
OhioS5Yes
MassachusettsS5Yes
MissouriSNRYes
FloridaS5Yes
WisconsinS5BYes
MaineS1BYes
West VirginiaS5B,S5NYes
District of ColumbiaS1Yes
North CarolinaS4Yes
PennsylvaniaS4BYes
ColoradoS4BYes
MontanaS3Yes
New JerseyS4Yes
North DakotaSNRYes
South DakotaS5Yes
MarylandS5Yes
ConnecticutS5Yes
KansasS5Yes
WyomingS3Yes
MichiganS5Yes
GeorgiaS5Yes
South CarolinaS4Yes
New YorkS5Yes
New HampshireS4Yes
IndianaS4Yes
LouisianaS5Yes
KentuckyS5B,S5NYes
IowaS4B,S4NYes
TexasS5BYes
AlabamaS5Yes
VermontS3Yes
ArkansasS4Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
Rhode IslandS3B,S3NYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
DelawareS5Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
MississippiS5Yes
Roadless Areas (25)
Alabama (1)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainTalladega National Forest4,986
Georgia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Lance CreekChattahoochee National Forest9,025
North Carolina (7)
AreaForestAcres
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
Catfish Lake NorthCroatan National Forest11,299
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Wilson CreekPisgah National Forest4,863
Pennsylvania (1)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Tennessee (2)
AreaForestAcres
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Little Lake CreekNational Forests in Texas596
Virginia (9)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Brush Mountain EastJefferson National Forest4,916
Hunting Camp Little Wolf CreekJefferson National Forest8,953
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
West Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
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