Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation Rescue Animals

2006 Rescue and Release

"Furby"

Furby's photo is at the bottom of the collage. He had a minor head and eye injury, so after one week of rehabilitation, he was ready to be released! MWR has rehabilitated many Eastern Screech Owls (whose pictures you also see to the left), successfully releasing them to the wild.

The Eastern Screech Owl has many names. He has been been called the: Ghost Owl, Spirit Owl, Whickering Owl, Dusk Owl, Mouse Owl, Cat Owl, Shivering Owl, and the Little Horned Owl.

These cute owls often "faint" when rescued, which is a natural protection "plan" just like Opossums. Appearing to be dead, their attacker leaves them alone.

These small Screech Owls - they are 8" tall - have acute senses of hearing and vision which help them hunt when it's dark. The little ear tuffs that look like horns help amplify sounds.

Mississippi's Eastern Screech Owls have three color phases: red, gray and brown which are not related to sex or age and may be present in the same brood.

Screech Owls hunt for prey while in flight, rather from a perch, in virtually all kinds of habitats below about 1500 meters elevation, from urbanized surroundings to boreal forests.

They are generally found in wooded areas, (where their small size makes them prey for other Owls) but do well in urban and suburban areas and acclimatize readily to human presence, often using bird boxes for nesting. Screech Owls are cavity nesters and usually use those created by other animals, and will deliberately bring live animals, like blind snakes into their nests to control the ants, flies, and other insects that may infest them. The males feed the incubating females, and both feed and tend the downy white chicks that fledge four weeks after hatching.

The "screech" has two short parts: a whistle, "Wheeeee" and "Quohohoho". Eastern Screech Owls are resident throughout the year here in NW Mississippi, and don't appear to migrate from our area.