Hoot!

Winter, especially this particularly snowy winter of 2011, tends to shut people indoors. We wait for the temperatures to rise, the snow to melt, and for the earth to come back to life with the greening of spring. However, winter is the best time of year to observe certain New Jersey wildlife, most notably owls!

Empty canopies, stark white backgrounds and nights glowing with the moon’s reflection off the snow are ideal for owl spotting. New Jersey plays host to eight species of owls, some of which are only found here in the winter. The most elusive of the group include the Snowy Owl (Nyctea scaniaca), Saw Whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus), Barn Owl (Tyto alba), Long- and Short-Eared Owls (Asio otus and Asio flammeus). These owls are less commonly found for multiple reasons, including their choice of habitats inconvenient to finicky humans, and their erratic travel schedules (some appear in New Jersey only every few years, when their prey populations up north become more scarce). More commonly found owls include the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) and Barred Owl (Strix varia), and the owl most common to New Jersey is the Eastern Screech Owl (Otus asio).

The Eastern Screech Owl is a year-round resident of New Jersey. It is relatively small, about 7 to 10 inches tall and with a wing span of 18 to 24 inches. This owl has two color phases or “morphs,” meaning it can be gray or red.

A screech owl’s call sound more like a whinnying horse than a screech, as its name implies. You can hear them from dusk to dawn in New Jersey’s woodlands, parks, suburban areas, in wetlands and near fields. They are opportunistic hunters, aiding in their ability to adapt to many habitats. They are able to grab large flying insects right out of the air, but seem to favor small rodents such as deer mice and moles. Other prey include small fish, snakes, frogs and spiders.

Screech owls breed from March through May, and have elaborate courting rituals, including unique calls, dancing, and even wink at each other! Once a partner is found, they will mate for life. Nesting is done in tree cavities, anywhere from 7 to 50 feet off the ground. They do not build a nest, but use natural sawdust at the bottom of the cavity for cushioning of their eggs, which are incubated almost exclusively by the female while the male hunts for food.

Next time you find yourself wishing for spring, try to remember the interesting winter life of New Jersey’s owls. Make some hot chocolate and go for a night hike along the stream in your backyard, or in your neighborhood park, especially in the first few hours of darkness. Open your ears and listen for the whinnying call of a Screech Owl - you may find the quietude of winter is actually full of life, once you take a closer look!

Resources:
http://www.njskylands.com/ecobirds_owls.htm
http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Megascops&species=asio
Owl Facts: Focusing on NJ’s Owls published by The Raptor Trust