In the spring we put up a number of wood duck boxes. It is not uncommon for a wood duck monitor to discover a bit of a surprise when they check the nesting box.

Years ago we found two diminutive eastern screech owls sleeping in a box on our marshland. One was an orange color and the other a slate brown. These color variations are generally referred to as morphs: grey or red. Their daytime sleep appears so deep that you could mistake them for hibernating. These bundles of feathers are primarily nocturnal creatures and disturbing their sleep seems so very rude. While sleeping their ear tufts are not noticeable and they have a shoulderless shape. Their young are mere puffballs and as they get older they appear horizontally barred and their eyes are predominant.

Females are generally larger than males. It is thought that the extra size and body fat is advantageous to incubation. It is likely more foreboding to possible nest intruders as well. The mates are normally the same age and are monogamous as long as nesting proves successful. The mates make a vibrating call and crouch when approaching one another - sort of their version of "Honey, I'm home."

The responsibility for incubation is solely the female's. The males generally guard the nest and make meal deliveries. Incubation lasts a month and once the chicks are hatched they stay in the nest for another month. Then for approximately two and half months they remain together as a family unit. The parents feed the young during this time and teach foraging skills.

Their wing spans are large in relation to their body: about 8" of body to 22 inches of wing. They are rugged little predators feasting on rodents. Their flight, like most owls, is quite silent. Their prey has very acute hearing, be it mice or other small rodents, insects, earth worms, frogs and the like, so their soundless movement comes in handy.

They too are preyed upon and you will see predator guards on our nesting boxes to prevent snakes, opossums, and raccoons from eating the eggs. Other owls and hawks will also prey on juveniles and adults.

There are records of these raptors (birds of prey) living for 14 years. But the first year of lessons is often the hardest and scientists estimate that 30-50% of the young don't live past that milestone.

These wonderful little creatures are not unique to our area but rather occur east of the Rockies in much of North America, from Texas and Florida to southern Canada. They are cavity nesters so moving into a wood duck box makes perfect sense to the owl. In fact people's propensity to cut down dead trees leaves them with fewer nesting possibilities so the artificial boxes fill a real need.

You are much more likely to hear the owl than to see it. Hearing these owls in our area is rather common. But it normally means being a bit of a night owl yourself. You might take a late evening drive to the Bayshore and listen for their descending trill call.

The next time you see a wood duck box, you'll know to wonder who-o-o-o might actually be inside!

CU on the River!