Dubuque County Conservation Makes an Adorable Discovery

The Dubuque County Conservation staff made a precious discovery this week while checking up on the wood duck boxes in their wildlife management areas. They showed the precious discovery on their Facebook page in a post that has garnered the attention of locals and animal lovers alike.

For background, Dubuque County Conservation's mission statement involves providing "a network of high-quality parks, habitats, trails, and water supported by communities passionate about nature." Their work is priceless and everlasting. The board consists of five Dubuque County residents who are appointed by the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors, and are given the responsibility to:

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• acquire, develop, maintain, and make available to the inhabitants of the County [and its visitors] public parks, preserves, parkways, playgrounds, recreation centers, county forests, wildlife and other conservation areas
• promote and preserve the health and welfare of the people
• encourage the orderly development and conservation of natural resources
• cultivate good citizenship by providing adequate programs of public recreation - per the "About Us" page on the Dubuque County Conservation website

This week, the staff discovered Eastern Screen Owls inside one of their wood duck boxes! The owls are very small, measuring 6-10 inches tall, and come in a variety of color morphs, such as red, gray, and brown. They are significantly smaller in stature than the Barred and/or Great Horned Owl, both very common in Iowa.

In a Facebook post by Dubuque County Conservation, they contextualized the habits of Eastern Screech Owls to go along with their must-see, adorable photos:

These little owls often take up residence in tree cavities made by woodpeckers, and the wood duck boxes offer similar spaces for them to nest. They also enjoy habitats along rivers and streams, where their prey like mice are abundant - per the Dubuque County Conservation's Facebook post

The post adds that Screech Owls typically begin nesting in March, with the male hunting to feed and provide for the female, who keeps watch over the nest. The owls are monogamous and mate with their partners for life.

Read more about Eastern Screech Owls on the website All About Birds, and visit the Dubuque County Conservation's website to learn about all the phenomenal work they do!