Name: Stella – Female

Species: Western Screech Owl

Liberty Arrival: 2013 / Juvenile

Injury/Condition: Imprinted

Stella arrived with no physical injuries but appeared to be extremely comfortable around humans. She was placed with orphaned screech owls and foster parents to see if she would exhibit wild behavior which would allow for her eventual release. It quickly became clear that her non-fear of humans would not be something she would grow out of. For this reason, Stella is non-releasable.

Western Screech Owl Facts

Description: Western Screech Owls are small, stocky owls with a squarish head. Their plumage varies from gray to brown, though they generally have dark streaks on their belly, with a dark border around the face and yellow eyes.

Habitat: Western Screech Owls live in forests, but are generally tolerant of people. They can often be found in suburbs or parks where cavities are available for nesting. In the Arizona desert, they’re often found in Saguaro cacti where they will use abandoned woodpecker nests.

Range: Western Screech Owls are found on the west coast, up through coastal Canada and into Mexico. They are non-migratory in their area.

Life span: Western Screech Owls can live up to 8-10 years in the wild and 13 in captivity.

Prey: Western Screech Owls eat mostly small mammals such as pocket mice, deermice, and shrews. They can also eat insects, birds, crayfish, snails, and scorpions. They have been noted to catch bats and amphibians.

Nests: Western Screech Owls are second cavity nesters and takeover those excavated by woodpeckers or that are naturally occurring. The male will find a suitable cavity, then call the female to it, where he may entice her with prey.

Babies: Western Screech Cowls lay 2 – 7 eggs in a clutch. Babies hatch after about 26 – 34 days. Youngsters fledge (learn to fly) about 35 days later but will remain for several weeks before leaving the nest site.