In the middle of the night, an 8-inch bundle of feathers and hollow bones projects a haunting, mysterious sound. It sounds like the rising and falling whinny of a horse, followed by a piercing tremolo. Though it sounds far away, the bird—an eastern screech-owl—could likely be right above your head (that is, if you are out in the middle of the woods at night).
A year-round, common resident of northern Illinois, the eastern screech-owl, (Megascops asio) is primarily found in woodlands; it prefers trees with natural cavities near a field with a stream or shallow river. But it can also be found in wooded residential neighborhoods, possibly even in your backyard. It could be lurking in a small tree cavity during the day, snoozing while waiting for its evening foray to your back porch light to catch a moth.
The eastern screech-owl comes in two color morphs—red (rufous) and gray. Ornithologists aren’t sure why, but they do know parent morphs of the same or different colors can producer young of either color. Those who get a look at this owl under moonlight or in its daytime roosting hole will see a dark streaking on the owl’s breast that blends well with the tree’s bark. It has a 20-inch wingspan, piercing yellow eyes, and tiny ear tufts. (Actually, these are not ears, but rather feather tufts it can move to communicate or use for camouflage.) As with most owls, the ears of the eastern screech-owl are situated asymmetrically on either side of its head—one is higher than the other. This arrangement enables it to zero in on its prey through triangulation, by turning its head to the left and right and moving it up and down a few times.
The Chicago Botanic Garden regularly holds programs offering visitors a chance to learn about the habits of Illinois owls as well as hear and see the diminutive eastern screech-owl. Join us for our next Owl Prowl sessions.
These owls will nest in a natural cavity or man-made nest box, adding no material of their own. The female lays four to five white, round eggs and incubates them for about 26 days. The male brings her food when she’s on the eggs and also after they hatch. She breaks up the prey into morsels to feed her young. In another 26 to 30 days, the young fledge, but they remain dependent on the parents for food for a few months longer before heading out on their own to hunt.
What do they hunt? An eclectic diet: eastern screech-owls eat moles, mice, shrews, and flying squirrels year-round, but also prey on cicadas, crickets, moths, and worms during warmer months. Like other owls, the screech-owl regurgitates pellets that contain undigestible fur and bones. Finding pellets beneath a tree is one clue to its presence.
You can purchase screech-owl boxes and hang them in a tree in your wooded backyard with hopes of attracting them to nest. At night, listen for the mysterious whinny of the screech-owl near a woodland. You never know how close one may be. Or on a sunny day, especially in winter, look at natural cavities and trees—you might see a screech-owl snoozing at the entrance.
The eastern screech-owl is the October bird species highlighted by the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Come #birdthepreserves with the FPDCC; view the list of upcoming events for free events near you.
©2016 Chicago Botanic Garden and my.chicagobotanic.org
Wakati wa usiku, kundi la manyoya na mifupa yenye umbo la matundu 8 huonyesha sauti yenye kutatanisha na isiyoeleweka. Inasikika kama kunguruma kwa farasi kunapoinuka na kushuka, kukifuatwa na mlio wenye nguvu. Ingawa inaonekana kuwa mbali sana, huenda ndege huyo - chui anayeitwa screech-owl wa mashariki - akawa juu ya kichwa chako (yaani, ikiwa uko nje katikati ya msitu usiku). Mnyama anayeishi kaskazini mwa Illinois, Mbuzi wa Mashariki (Megascops asiaticus), hupatikana hasa katika misitu; hupendelea miti yenye mashimo ya asili karibu na shamba lenye kijito au mto usio na kina kirefu. Lakini pia inaweza kupatikana katika maeneo yenye miti, labda hata katika bustani yako ya nyuma. Inaweza kuwa imeficha katika shimo dogo la mti wakati wa mchana, ikiketi huku ikisubiri usiku kucha kwa mwanga wa ukumbi wako wa nyuma ili kukamata nondo. Ndege aina ya screech-owl wa mashariki huja katika rangi mbili za rangi - nyekundu (rufous) na kijivu. Wataalamu wa ndege hawajui kwa nini, lakini wanajua kwamba morphs za wazazi wa rangi ileile au tofauti zinaweza kuzalisha watoto wa rangi yoyote. Wale wanaomtazama ndovu huyo chini ya mwangaza wa mwezi au katika shimo lake la kulala wakati wa mchana wataona mstari mweusi kwenye kifua chake unaolingana vizuri na ganda la mti huo. Ina mabawa yenye urefu wa inchi 20, macho ya manjano yenye kupenya, na masikio madogo. (Kwa kweli, hizo si masikio, bali ni vifuniko vya manyoya ambavyo vinaweza kuhamishwa ili kuwasiliana au kutumiwa kama vazi la kujificha.) Kama ilivyo na vipepeo wengi, masikio ya vipepeo wa mashariki yako upande mmoja wa kichwa chake - moja ni ya juu kuliko nyingine. Mfano huu unamwezesha kumtambua mnyama huyo kwa kumgeuza kichwa chake upande wa kushoto na kulia na kumwinua mara kadhaa. Hifadhi ya Mimea ya Chicago huandaa programu kwa ukawaida ambazo huwapa wageni nafasi ya kujifunza juu ya tabia za vipepeo wa Illinois na pia kusikia na kuona vipepeo wadogo wa mashariki. Kujiunga na sisi kwa ajili ya vikao vyetu ijayo Owl Prowl. Ndege hao hufanya viota vyao katika shimo la asili au katika sanduku la kiota lililotengenezwa na wanadamu, bila kuongeza vitu vyao wenyewe. Mnyama huyo wa kike hutaga mayai manne hadi matano meupe na ya mviringo na kuyaweka ndani ya chupa kwa siku 26. Mwanamume huleta chakula chake anapokuwa juu ya mayai na pia baada ya kuanguliwa. Yeye huvunja-vunja mawindo ili kuwalisha watoto wake. Baada ya siku 26 hadi 30 za kuzaliwa, watoto hao huanza kuota, lakini wanategemea wazazi wao kwa chakula kwa miezi michache kabla ya kwenda kuwinda peke yao. Wao huwinda nini? Mnyama huyo hula chungu, panya, shomoro, na bata-mti wa angani mwaka mzima, lakini pia hula vipepeo, korongo, nondo, na minyoo wakati wa miezi ya joto. Kama vile vipepeo wengine, vipepeo hao hutupa vipande vya manyoya na mifupa visivyoweza kumeng'enywa. Kupata chembe chini ya mti ni ishara moja ya kuwapo kwake. Unaweza kununua masanduku ya ndege aina ya screech owl na kuyaweka kwenye mti katika bustani yako yenye miti kwa matumaini ya kuwavutia wafanye viota vyao. Wakati wa usiku, sikiliza sauti ya ajabu ya mbuni anayepiga kelele karibu na msitu. Huwezi kujua mtu anaweza kuwa karibu kadiri gani. Au katika siku yenye jua, hasa wakati wa majira ya baridi kali, angalia mashimo ya asili na miti - unaweza kuona ndege anayeitwa screech-owl akilala kitandani kwenye mlango. Ndege anayeitwa eastern screech-owl ni ndege wa Oktoba anayetambuliwa na Hifadhi za Misitu za Kaunti ya Cook. Kujiunga na #BirdSparks na FPDC, angalia orodha ya matukio ya karibu kwa ajili ya matukio ya bure karibu na wewe. "Mwaka wa 2016 ""Chicago Botanic Garden"" ilifunguliwa na ""Chicago Botanic Garden"" na ""Chicago Botanic Garden"" ilifunguliwa na ""Chicago Botanic Garden"" na ""Chicago Botanic Garden"" na ""Chicago Botanic Garden"" na ""Chicago Botanic Garden"" na ""Chicago Botanic Garden"" na ""Chicago Botanic Garden"" na ""Chicago Botanic Garden."""