Owls make their presence eerily known in the forest

WHITEHOUSE – As leaves flutter to the ground and late fall takes hold, the canopy opens up and sounds carry better through the woods.

It’s time for owls to rule the light sounds.

Now is when owls make their presence known, perhaps inspired by the shorter days, the inevitable onset of winter, and the priority to claim prime hunting territories. These fascinating creatures of the night seem to enjoy the longer hours of darkness.

Our most common owls are the great-horned, barred and the diminutive screech owl. The screech owl (image above captured at the Blue Creek Metropark) stands only about 8-9 inches tall with a wingspan of about 20 inches. It may be the smallest of our common owls, but its got a loud and eerie tremelo call that can carry a long way through a leafless forest. It can send chills down the spine of anyone who hears it.  

It’s the perfect call for the Halloween season.

Listen to the distinctive sounds of owls: