No other eared owl is bright red-brown. He has two scientific synonyms. Otus asio is the older of the two classifications. The currently accepted scientific name of the eastern screech owl is Megascops asio.
Commonly called the "common screech-owl," the "shivering owl," "little horned owl," "little dukelet," "demon owl," and "dusk owl."
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There are at least 5 subspecies:
M. a. maxwelliae (Ridgway), Rocky Mountain screech-owl
M. a. hasbroucki (Ridgway), Hasbrouck's screech-owl
M. a. mccalli (Cassin), Texas screech-owl
M. a. asio (Linneaus), southern screech-owl
M. a. floridanus (Ridgway), Florida screech-owl
Usually active around dusk they are mostly solitary though some of the literature indicates that in winter they may share a range with a mate.
Adults range from 16 to 25 cm (6.3–10 in) in length and weigh 121-244 grams (4.3-8.6 oz).
The raptor has a mournful wail that is tremulous, descending in pitch. At times there are a series of such calls in the same pitch.
It has two phases, red-brown and gray (see gray phase below).
Eastern Screech Owls inhabit open mixed woodlands, deciduous forests, parklands, wooded suburban areas, riparian woods along streams and wetlands (especially in drier areas), mature orchards, and woodlands near marshes, meadows, and fields.
They try to avoid areas known to have regular activity of larger owls, especially Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) as these are their primary predators aside from humans.
These owls roost mainly in natural cavities in large trees, including cavities open to the sky during dry weather.
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