Species Comparisons • Backyard Identification
Barn Owl vs Eastern Screech-Owl
Barn Owl
Barn Owl • Wikimedia Commons
Barn Owl
Barn Owl • Wikimedia Commons
Barn Owl
Barn Owl • Wikimedia Commons
Barn Owl
Barn Owl • Wikimedia Commons
Eastern Screech-Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl • Wikimedia Commons
Eastern Screech-Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl • Wikimedia Commons
Eastern Screech-Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl • Wikimedia Commons
Eastern Screech-Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl • Wikimedia Commons
Barn Owl vs Eastern Screech-Owl (Tyto alba vs Megascops asio): The Complete Backyard Identification Guide
Field Summary
Quick Answer: The Fastest Way to Tell Them Apart
The name tricks everyone — the Screech-Owl does not screech. Three rules:
- Size: crow-sized at 16 inches with long legs = Barn Owl; robin-sized at 8.5 inches = Eastern Screech-Owl.
- Face: a white heart-shaped face with dark eyes = Barn Owl; a bark-streaked face with ear tufts and yellow eyes = Screech-Owl.
- Voice: the raspy drawn-out screech comes from the Barn Owl; the Screech-Owl gives a tremulous descending whinny and a monotone trill.
At-a-Glance Comparison Table
The big ghost and the little mimic, side by side. KEY rows separate fastest.
| Feature | Barn Owl | Eastern Screech-Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tyto alba | Megascops asio |
| Length KEY | 16 in (41 cm) | 8.5 in (21.5 cm) |
| Wingspan | 42 in (107 cm) | 20 in (51 cm) |
| Weight | 1.1 lb (500 g) | 4.3–8.6 oz (121–244 g) |
| Overall Shape | Medium owl with a white heart-shaped face and long legs; no ear tufts | Tiny owl with ear tufts and yellow eyes; red or gray color morphs |
| Male Plumage KEY | Golden-buff above, ghostly white below, with a white heart-shaped face and dark eyes (sexes alike) | Gray or rufous-red, intricately streaked and barred like tree bark; small ear tufts; yellow eyes (sexes alike) |
| Female Plumage | Like the male, often more heavily spotted below | Identical to the male, averaging larger |
| Bill Shape | Small, pale, hidden in facial feathers | Small, yellow-green |
| Tail | Short, buff-barred | Short, banded |
| Core Range KEY | Nearly worldwide — open farmland, grassland and towns across most of the US | East of the Rockies — woods, orchards, parks and tree-lined suburbs |
| Migration | Non-migratory resident | Non-migratory resident |
| Feeder Presence | Never visits feeders; hunts mice and voles over open ground at night | Never visits feeders; accepts backyard nest boxes and hunts insects and mice at night |
| Favorite Foods | Rodents — mice, voles, rats — caught by sound in total darkness | Insects, mice, small birds, earthworms |
| Song KEY | No hoot at all — a raspy, drawn-out screech “shreee” | A descending tremulous whinny and a long monotone trill |
| Flight Call | Raspy screeches and hisses; nestlings snore | Whinny, trill, and soft barks |
| Population Trend | Stable where nesting cavities and open hunting ground remain | Stable; commoner in suburbs than most people realize |
Male Field Marks, Side by Side
Barn Owl — Male
Tyto alba
- White heart-shaped face — unmistakable.
- Golden-buff above, ghost-white below; long legs.
- Hunts open fields at night; nests in barns and boxes.
Eastern Screech-Owl — Male
Megascops asio
- Tiny — robin-sized — with ear tufts and yellow eyes.
- Red or gray morphs, both bark-camouflaged.
- The whinnying night voice of eastern suburbs.
Female & Juvenile Marks, Side by Side
Barn Owl — Female
Tyto alba
- Like the male, more heavily spotted below.
- Nests in barn lofts, silos and large nest boxes.
- Hunts entirely by sound in darkness.
Eastern Screech-Owl — Female
Megascops asio
- Identical plumage, larger body.
- Uses nest boxes with a 3-inch entrance hole.
- Suns at cavity entrances on winter days.
Part-by-Part Anatomy Breakdown
Size alone nearly settles it; face and voice confirm:
| Body Part | Barn Owl | Eastern Screech-Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 16 in, crow-sized, long-legged | 8.5 in, robin-sized, compact |
| Face | White heart-shaped disc | Streaked disc with small ear tufts |
| Eyes | Dark | Yellow |
| Plumage | Golden-buff above, ghost-white below | Bark-mimicking gray or red morphs |
| Ear Tufts | None | Present, raised when alert |
| Voice | Raspy screech | Descending whinny and long trill |
| Nest | Barn lofts, silos, big boxes | Tree cavities and small nest boxes |
Song & Call Comparison
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
Voice: a raspy, drawn-out screech shreee — never a hoot.
At the nest: hisses, clicks and the famous nestling “snore”.
Barn Owl voice • Wikimedia Commons
Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops asio
Song: a descending tremulous whinny, plus a long monotone trill.
Calls: soft barks and trills between pairs.
Eastern Screech-Owl voice • Wikimedia Commons
Range & Seasonal Presence
The Barn Owl hunts open farmland and grassland across most of the US, roosting in barns and large cavities by day.
The Eastern Screech-Owl lives east of the Rockies in woods, orchards and tree-lined suburbs — common in neighborhoods, where it nests in boxes and hunts insects and mice from backyard trees.
Feeder Behavior & Favorite Foods
- Neither visits feeders — both hunt live prey.
- Barn Owl: large boxes on poles over open fields.
- Eastern Screech-Owl: a small nest box with a 3-inch entrance hole on a wooded lot frequently gets a tenant — watch for the bird sunning at the hole on winter afternoons.
- Never use rodent poison — both species die from tainted rodents.
Temperament & Flock Behavior
Barn Owls are floaty, silent hunters of open ground, rarely seen by day.
Eastern Screech-Owls are confiding suburbanites — roosting at cavity mouths in daylight, whinnying at dusk, and snapping up moths at porch lights.
6-Step Backyard ID Checklist
- Size. Crow-sized = Barn; robin-sized = Screech-Owl.
- Face. White heart = Barn; bark-streaked with tufts = Screech-Owl.
- Eyes. Dark = Barn; yellow = Screech-Owl.
- Voice. Raspy screech = Barn; whinny or trill = Screech-Owl.
- Habitat. Open farmland = Barn; wooded suburb = Screech-Owl.
- Nest site. Barn loft or big box = Barn; small box or tree hole = Screech-Owl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which owl actually screeches?
The Barn Owl — its raspy, drawn-out “shreee” is the true screech. The Eastern Screech-Owl, despite the name, gives a tremulous descending whinny and a monotone trill.
How big is a screech-owl compared to a Barn Owl?
The Eastern Screech-Owl is robin-sized at 8.5 inches — barely half the length of the 16-inch, crow-sized Barn Owl, and a fraction of its weight.
Do screech-owls use nest boxes?
Yes — readily. A small box with a 3-inch entrance hole mounted 10–20 feet up on a wooded lot is prime screech-owl real estate. Barn Owls need much larger boxes.
What are the red and gray screech-owls?
Color morphs of the same species — Eastern Screech-Owls come in gray and rufous-red versions, both perfectly camouflaged as tree bark. Barn Owls have no such morphs.
Do these owls hunt at backyard feeders?
Not the birds — but Barn Owls and screech-owls both hunt the mice that spilled seed attracts. They are free rodent control; never use poison, which kills the owls.
Can I see a screech-owl in daylight?
Often — they sun themselves at cavity entrances on winter days, perfectly camouflaged as bark. Barn Owls stay hidden deep in their roosts by day.
Key Takeaways
- Size: Crow-sized = Barn; robin-sized = Screech-Owl.
- Face: White heart = Barn; tufted bark pattern = Screech-Owl.
- Eyes: Dark = Barn; yellow = Screech-Owl.
- Voice: The Barn Owl is the one that screeches.
- Habitat: Open farmland = Barn; wooded suburb = Screech-Owl.
- Boxes: Big pole box = Barn; small 3-inch-hole box = Screech-Owl.