Screech Owl

20-0115: 2020 Christmasville Limited Edition - Oil on Walnut. The screech owl is common in eastern North America from Mexico to Canada. He is a small owl with a short bill, large head, almost no neck and often raised pointed ear tuffs - for better hearing. Like many other birds, he is active at night and more often heard, not seen. His call is a trilling, whinning song. He is a master of disguise and, to rest or sleep during the day, he seeks a tree cavity and positions himself to fill the mouth and blend into the tree. He lives in evergreens near water and shuns treeless expanses of mountains or plains. He eats beetles, moths, crickets, small fish, frogs,lizards, earthworms, spiders... just about anything smaller than he is