Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus megascops) Morph Project in the Upper Cumberland Region

An Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus megascops) photographed November 2004 in DeKalb Co., TN.  This is probably a gray morph screech-owl, but the lighting on the left side of the photo gives it the appearance of being a brown morph.  Photo Judy C. Fuson.

Until quite recently, some uncertainty existed about the percentage of each color morph of the Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus megascops) within the population of that species residing in the Upper Cumberland Region.

   Three color morphs of the Eastern Screech-Owl are present in the population that resides in the UCR—the fairly common rufous, the uncommon gray, and the rare brown.  As a result of data about road-killed screech-owls submitted since November 2004, the percentages of the color morphs within the Region are now approximately known.  This state of knowledge was made possible by many Regional observers who stopped to classify the color morph of road-killed  screech-owls they happened to find while traveling the roads of the Region.

   The color morphs of Eastern Screech-Owls killed along roadsides within the UCR are itemized below (Table 1). Once the number of screech-owls listed in this table reached 50, a fairly good indication of the percentages of the color morphs in the Regional population became available. 

    Please report all sightings of road-killed and photographed screech-owls to me at my professional email address—

• sstedman@tntech.edu

—being sure to include the following information in your report: the date the road-killed owl was found; the color morph of the dead owl; the name(s) of the observer(s); a description of the precise location of the dead owl; the county and state of the location; and a photograph attachment (required).

Table 1. Data Relating to Color Morphs of Road-killed Eastern Screech-Owls Found in the Upper Cumberland Region November 2004–Present.

* Key to Observer Initials:

NEB = Nan E. Beesley

TMC = Terry M. Campbell

RMD = Roseanna M. Denton

JD = Janet Dowlen

DAD = Douglas A Downs

AD = Ann Drothler

AF = Annell Fields

JCF = Judy C. Fuson

MEH = Michael E. Hodge

CGH = C. Gay Hodges

CM = Crystal Malone

DM = Doug Malone

CSN = Connie S. Neeley

WN = Wendell Neeley

RN = Rick Noseworthy

TMS = Thomas M. Saya

RDS = Ronnie D. Smith

DJS = DJ Stanley

SJS = Stephen J. Stedman

MT = Mike Tatum

HET = Helga E. Thompson

CDW = Carol D. Williams

** Location Codes and Location Data:

A. Along Rt. 70W near the community of Bon Air.

B. Along Rt. 56 near the Scenic Overlook about 2 km (1.25 mi) north of the Hurricane Bridge.

C. No location details provided but within the northeast sector of the Warren County CBC circle.

D. No location details provided but within the northeast sector of the Warren County CBC circle.

E. Near the intersection of Mt. Helen Rd. and Sam Smith Rd.

F. About 26.25 km (16.4 mi) from Rt. 80 on Rt. 192

G. South of Smithville near Jack Pillar Rd.

H. About 2.4 km (1.5 mi) south of Putnam County line on Rt. 56.

I. Just south of intersection Rt. 70 and Rt. 8.

J. Rt. 52 near Timothy Community.

K. Western Pulaski County near Lick Creek

L. Exit 317 on I-40 at Cracker Barrel Restaurant

M. Intersection of Browntown Rd. and Eastland Rd.

N. About 4 km (2.5 mi) east of Alexandria

O. About 0.5 km (0.3 mi) north of intersection of Rt. 70N and Ensor Hollow Rd. on latter road.

P. About 1 km (0.6 mi) south of intersection I-40 and Burgess Falls Rd. on latter road.

Q. 13 km (8.4 mi) north of Jackson/Putnam county line on Rt. 56 near Gainesboro.

R. 5 km east of Gainesboro city limit on Rt. 53.

S. Boat Dock Rd., Somerset.

T. Northeast corner of the intersection of Rt. 111 and I-40.

U. 9th Ave., Cookeville.

V. Road to the Ano strip mines

W. Near Vernon.

X. Rt. 461.

Y. City boat ramp in Burkesville.

Z. Rt. 127 about 3–4 km (2.5 mi) south of the line with Cumberland County.

AA. Rt. 1275, Mill Springs

BB. Rt. 70N near Crossville Raceway

CC. Intersection of Rts. 53 North and 70 West near Alexandria

DD. Lakeside Dr.

EE. Rt. 52 north of Livingston near Standing Stone State Forest

FF. Rt. 70N near Crossville Raceway

GG. About 0.15 km (0.1 mi) south of intersection of Burgess Falls Rd. and Ditty Rd. on former

HH. At intersection of Eastland Rd. and Eastland Cemetery Rd.

II. Near Hogue.

JJ. On Rt. 53 just south of the Clay County line.

KK. Near intersection Rts. 734 and 639.

LL. Vandever Rd.

MM. 10 km (6 mi) out Rt. 461 from Mark.

NN.  Rt. 27 between Sloan's Valley and Alpine.

OO. 8 km (5 mi) north of Putnam County line on Rt. 56.

PP.1.5 km (1 mi) north of Centertown.

QQ. C. 7 km (4.5 mi) east of Grassy Cove on Rt. 68.

RR. Crab Orchard.

SS. Near Alexandria.

TT. On Rt. 80 going toward London, KY.

UU. Rt. 76.

VV. Rt. 70 about 1/8 mi west of Country Club Rd.

WW. Rt. 70 about 400 feet west of Country Club Rd.

XX. Gum Springs Mountain Rd. (on west slope of Gum Springs Mountain).

YY. Rt. 56 in northern DeKalb County near Putnam County line.

ZZ. near Tennessee Tech campus, Cookeville.

AAA. Gobey community in Emory Valley.

BBB. Rt. 70 near Wal-Mart, Smithville.

CCC. Rt. 70 X Rt. 96 near Snow Hill west of Smithville.

*** Link to photo of brown morph EASO.

Table 2. Upper Cumberland Region Counties represented in the EASO morph project (boldfaced):

Table 3. Numerical totals and percentages of color morphs of Eastern Screech-Owls found road-killed in the Upper Cumberland Region November 2004–present. Data from sight records and photograph records are lumped in the leftmost three columns; data from photograph records only are provided in the rightmost three columns.

Figures 1–3. Photographs of Morphs of Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus megascops).

Figure 1. Dorsal view of a road-killed, gray morph Eastern Screech-Owl found south of Smithville, DeKalb County, TN, 15 September 2005; photo Mike Tatum.  Note the brown coloration around the edge of the facial disc and the subtle brown suffusion throughout the plumage of this gray morph individual.

Figure 2. Dorsal view of a road-killed, rufous morph Eastern Screech-Owl found in DeKalb County, Tennessee, on Rt. 56 about 1.5 mi south of the Putnam County line 16 October 2005; photo SJS.

Figure 3. Ventral view of a road-killed, rufous morph Eastern Screech-Owl found in DeKalb County, Tennessee, on Rt. 56 about 1.5 mi south of the Putnam County line 16 October 2005; photo SJS.

Figures 4–5. Facial Discs of Gray and Rufous Morph Eastern Screech-Owls.

Figures 4 and 5. Facial discs of gray (left) and rufous (right) morph Eastern Screech-Owls, both images obtained near Bellbrook, Ohio, 28 November 2005 (gray) and 12 December 2005 (rufous); photos John McKean.

Figures 6, 7, and 8 are photos of a gray morph screech-owl taken at annual intervals in DeKalb County, Tennessee; whether these photos are all of the same individual is of interest; if you have reasons to think they are, or are not, please offer them.

Figures 6. Eastern Screech-Owl; DeKalb County, Tennessee; 28 December 2004. Photo Carol D. Williams.

Figures 7. Eastern Screech-Owl; DeKalb County, Tennessee; 27 December 2005. Photo Carol D. Williams.

Figures 8. Eastern Screech-Owl; DeKalb County, Tennessee; 26 December 2006. Photo Carol D. Williams.

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