LANDLORD AND TENANT RELATIONSHIPS ARE OFTEN TRYING 4/27/01)

We are having a difficult time with one of our tenants. First of all, they showed nearly a month before they were expected. Not only that, but apparently they thought we wouldn’t even notice them if they just slipped in, kept quiet and out of sight.

However, they are not quite as quiet as they think, for almost every evening just after dark, they start up conversations or begin engaging in courtship activities. It’s not that they are exactly boisterous. In fact, far from it. Actually, their discourses are quite soft but nonetheless carry further than they may know.

Sometimes they sound like an idling diesel engine. Other times they produce a rising and falling whinny. Neither sound is unpleasant. By now, of course, you know that are tenants are a pair of screech owls. Maybe you think all owls are antisocial, but screech owls are usually not so. We are glad to have this pair using one of our nest boxes, but they are the most reclusive tenants we have ever had. Ordinarily, we expect our renters to give us something in return for their made-to-order dwelling. We want them to show a little gratitude

We have had screech owls, a red-phase and a gray-phase together, occupying this same space for the last three years. We would suspect that this is the same pair since site choosing obviously went quickly and smoothly. So why are they so seldom seen? In the past, they have always appeared eager to bask in the afternoon sun and watch the neighborhood activity. We always thought it was the female who spent her afternoons not just merely peering but actually hanging quite far out of the box, the better, we thought, to get away from the tedious chore of egg sitting. Not so these two. Perhaps if the weather stays warm, they’ll be more congenial.

Screech owls are actually quite ubiquitous both on the Cape and mainland. Most every residential street with mature deciduous trees is sure to have a pair of these medium-sized (9”) owls with ear tufts (not always visible) and yellow eyes. As I mentioned above, they can be either gray or red in color. They eat mice, insects, amphibians and, on occasion, small birds. Natural nests are made in tree cavities or old woodpecker holes, but they readily accept birdhouses built to the correct specifications. Keep your eyes and ears open, and you’ll be sure to locate an active pair.

Now here’s a story that got to me secondhand from a friend in Sandwich who has a friend name Bob. “After returning from a trip, Bob called me to say the rear half of a bird was sticking out of the entrance to the Screech Owl’s nesting box. He could see yellow under part of the wing, which was angled up away from the body of the bird, and this bird was MOVING. Could I come down to see what was happening?

“Upon closer examination, I could see that the bird, which filled up the entrance hole to the box, was a flicker, and it appeared quite dead; its legs were trailing down outside the entrance hole, and there was no movement whatever. Bob gave me a long fishing pole and I poked at the flicker, which dropped to the ground – headless, neckless and gutless.

“Can you imagine how fast the screech owl must have been to catch and kill the flicker as the flicker poked its head into "its" nesting box? Later the owl appeared at the entrance hole, looking for its lunch. It makes one wonder when the attack occurred and how long the owl would have fed on the flicker’s body.”

Folks, what more could I say to top that? Thank you, Bob!

Here’s another story of shocking proportions from Liz Hogan of Brewster. “In the continuing battle for nesting space, the dear screech owls have lost their natural nest cavity to the grey squirrels . Now this is not good! And it appears there has been some degree of carnage involved. Who did what to whom I do not know. To back up, for the last week or so there has been lots of harassing of the owls, more than usual, by birds and squirrels. I was guessing that the eggs had hatched and the sounds of the babies were drawing attention.

“But within the last 2 days (early in April), I found, first, a complete set of feathers on the woodpile beneath the nesting tree. All very neat and interesting. So intact that it would appear the dining had to have taken place on the woodpile itself. This most likely would happen at night, don't you think? Searched, but did not find, a head or feet to aid in ID. Found one secondary with clear white markings and a very few soft feathers, as if from the belly, with a spotted look, some rust color.

“Then Thursday when I got home saw much blood all over the bird feeder that is suspended off the deck rail, as well as a trail of blood across the rail and around back. I hoped that the squirrel had just recently been bitten by owls. However, last nite I saw a squirrel in the hole, looking out. Darn!! So, I’m off to the bird store this morning in the hope that installing a commercial nesting box will keep the owls nearby if lodging is available.”

That’s another remarkable story, don’t you think? I would not have thought that squirrels could successfully oust any owl from its nest site.

GRAPHIC: Screech Owl