Eastern Screech Owl  The Eastern Screech Owl (Otus asio) is a
small owl which has either rusty or dark grey intricately
patterned plumage with streaking on the underparts. Small and
stocky, short-tailed and broad-winged, they have a large round
head with ear tufts, yellow eyes and a yellowish bill. Rusty
birds are more common in the southern parts of the range;
pairings of the two color variants do occur. A pale grey
variation also exists in western Canada and the north-central
United States.  Their breeding habitat is either deciduous or
mixed woods in eastern North America. Usually solitary, they
nest in a tree cavity, either natural or excavated by a
woodpecker; they will also use nesting boxes. They are strictly
nocturnal, roosting during the day in cavities or next to tree
trunks.  These birds wait on a perch on low limbs in open woods
and along forest edges and swoop down on prey; they may also
catch insects in flight. They mainly eat large insects and small
rodents, and sometimes small birds. They are