Fauna Flora Photography

Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio

A small owl common in forests around Montreal. Especially in winter, the individuals of this species can be seen frequently at the same spot, a tree cavity even when the spot is not used to nest.

How to Identify

This species exists in two color flavors, a grey variant and a reddish variant. Both variants can be seen around Montreal. Similar to other, larger owls, I use the shape of the ears and the line from the eye to the ear to identify this bird.

Where and When to Spot

Best spotted during the winter months due to the lack of foliage and because the bird is more frequently resting at the same spot. Once you know the different possible resting places, finding the owl is easy.

Where and when a species has been observed, identified, and recorded.

Videos of Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)

Last updated on 2024-02-11. Written and regularly updated by Karl-Heinz Müller, Dipl. Natw. ETH, Biology. With 10 years of experience in wildlife photography, Karl-Heinz shares first-hand, on-site collected observations, photos and videos from his frequent visits to parks in the Montreal area.