Bird of the Month for December is  the Screech Owl. Below is Ben Kolstad’s article from the December  KITE.

Bird of the Month for December: Screech Owl

Our December bird of the month is one of the most common, but infrequently encountered, birds in the county (unless you have an active nest box or tree hollow). The Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio) is a truly charismatic critter who occurs in two distinct color morphs: gray and red. It’s also the least fussy owl in North America, comfortable in urban, suburban, rural, wet, dry, agricultural, and other ecological zones. Their diet consists mostly of insects and other small invertebrates, but they also take small birds. This last trait accounts for the reactions of most birds to the distinctive trill and whinny call of these pint-sized raptors. For an amusing read about one Palm Beach County resident’s experience with these owls and their adaptation to city life, I recommend Andrew Furman’s recent collection of essays, Bitten (University Press of Florida, 2014); the last chapter recounts his experience helping his son build a nest box for these little owls.

Come to our December meeting to hear more about this bird.

(Photographer’s please note that next month’s January  2016 Bird will be the Ruddy Turnstone)