They can screech shrilly when alarmed. Balance would often screech and howl during performances, which would add to the effect. This owl does not hoot, but utters an eerie, drawn-out screech. Huey refers to them as a "hysterical screech", and "snarling, demonic howls". Other calls&colon; barking and chuckling, similar to the eastern screech owl. The screech owls are small and agile. Screech owls hunt from perches in semi-open landscapes. The young of most screech owls are altricial to semi altricial. The evolutionary relationships of the scops and screech owls are not entirely clear. The Hartmann whistle and the jet screech fits into this generalization. Despite their name, this owl does not truly screech. Vulture sound effects were used for its screech. Screech owls are restricted to the Americas. Scary Larry ("GamePro") liked "Gold" sound except for the explosion and "death screech" sound effects. The call or "screech" is described as "harsh and scratchy".