How to Attract Eastern Screech-Owl to Your Yard
How to attract Eastern Screech-Owl to your yard — the habitat, water and plantings that bring them in (they aren't a seed-feeder bird), plus nesting help.
Want to bring Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) to your yard? Here is the honest, data-backed version — the feeders and food they actually use, whether they will take a nest box, and the habitat that keeps them coming back. Every recommendation is drawn from real bird-science sources (the Cornell Lab, Audubon and their peers), not guesswork.
Does Eastern Screech-Owl visit feeders?
Eastern Screech-Owl does not typically come to seed feeders. Rather than a feeder, the way to attract it is the right habitat, water and plantings — see below.
Will Eastern Screech-Owl use a nest box?
Yes — Eastern Screech-Owl is a cavity nester that will take a correctly-sized nest box. Use these NestWatch dimensions (the entrance-hole size is what keeps larger competitors out):
| Entrance hole | 3 inches |
|---|---|
| Floor (inside) | 9 5/8×11 1/4 |
| Box height | 17 3/8 inches |
| Mounting height | 10-30 feet |
Give the box a rough or grooved interior below the hole so chicks can climb out, ventilation and drainage holes, and no outside perch (perches only help predators and competitors).
How to attract Eastern Screech-Owl to your yard
Retain mature trees and dead snags; mount a nest box on a live tree or pole at a woodland edge near open fields or wetlands, and add 2-3 inches of wood shavings to the floor. NestWatch suggests spacing boxes at least 100 ft apart.
See it near you
For the full profile — photos, sounds, range and ID — see the Eastern Screech-Owl species page. To find where it is being reported right now, use Birds Near You.
Frequently asked questions
Does Eastern Screech-Owl come to bird feeders?
Not usually — Eastern Screech-Owl is not a typical seed-feeder visitor. Attract it with the right habitat, water and plantings instead.
Will Eastern Screech-Owl use a nest box?
Yes. Eastern Screech-Owl is a cavity nester that will use a box with a 3 inch entrance hole (see the dimensions on this page).
