My children Jack and Emma met an eastern screech owl recently at a nature center event. Looking up at the pint-glass sized bird, Jack asked me, “Dad, is it real? Or is it a robot?” Emma looked at it quizzically and posited that it must be fake, since its eyes blink just like a toy Furby.
Despite Emma’s rather accurate description, the little bird was quite alive. Eastern screech owls have very deliberate-looking blinks and winks. Their large yellow eyes help them spot prey, even at night.