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Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn is a Western Screech Owl (Megascops kennicottii,
formerly Otus kennicottii). She was brought to the WSU
Veterinary Teaching Hospital in June of 2004. She suffered severe head
trauma, probably caused by colliding with a car. Both of her eyes
were injured during the accident and she cannot see well enough to
ever hunt efficiently on her own. As a result she will spend the
rest of her life in captivity.
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Western Screech Owls tend to live in riparian areas. They like mixed
coniferous and deciduous forests where they can stay hidden easier
with their grey and brown feathering. They also have small ear tufts
which they hold up when they are interested in something. Theses ear
tufts look like horns or actual ears but are only feathers that
stand up on the top of their heads.
Western Screech Owls are related to Eastern Screech Owls but the
bills of the Eastern Screeches are grey-green while the Westerns
have bills that are grey to black. A common misconception about
Screech Owls is that they screech. This is not actually the case.
Instead they will make a trilling “hoo-hoo-hoo” or a soft
“cr-r-oo-oo-ooo…”
Screech Owls are strictly nocturnal and hunt only at night. Their
prey of choice is small rodents but they are opportunistic
and will also eat frogs, small fish, insects, bats, birds, reptiles,
and amphibians.
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