Screech Owl

• Type: Bird of prey; Postal Owl
• Known Owners: The Weasley family, Percy Weasley
• Notable Individuals: Errol, Hermes

A Screech Owl is a type of owl used by wizards and witches for mail delivery. They are a real species of owl, but in the Wizarding world, they, like other owls, possess the magical ability to locate recipients without a physical address. The two prominent Screech Owls in the series show a contrast in appearance based on age and care. Errol, the Weasley family's owl, is described as “large, grey,” and ancient. He is often in a state of exhaustion, appearing like a “molting, feather duster” after completing deliveries. In contrast, Percy Weasley's owl, Hermes, is described as a “handsome screech owl,” a gift for his becoming a Gryffindor Prefect. This suggests that a healthy, younger Screech Owl is quite distinguished in appearance.

Screech Owls function as part of the Owl Post service, a primary method of communication in the Wizarding world. They are capable of delivering a wide range of items, including:

• Letters: Standard correspondence between individuals.
• Parcels: Small packages, such as birthday gifts.
• Howlers: Magical letters that deliver a message by shouting at the recipient.

Like all postal owls, their primary magical quality is their unerring ability to find the intended recipient, regardless of their location. However, their physical endurance is a limiting factor. The advanced age of the Weasleys' owl, Errol, frequently causes him to bungle deliveries, crash into windows, or collapse from exhaustion upon arrival.

Two Screech Owls are specifically named in the novels, both belonging to the Weasley family.

• Errol: The long-serving, elderly owl of the Weasley family. His advanced age makes him a very unreliable and clumsy messenger, often requiring days to recover from a single flight. Notable moments involving Errol include him crashing into the Weasleys' kitchen table while delivering a letter from Hogwarts (HP2), delivering a Howler from Molly Weasley to Ron Weasley (HP2), and collapsing into a water jug after bringing Harry Potter birthday presents from the Weasleys and Hermione Granger (HP3).
• Hermes: A gift to Percy Weasley from his parents upon his appointment as a Gryffindor Prefect. Hermes is a much younger and more capable owl than Errol. Percy uses him for his own, often self-important, correspondence, such as sending letters via the Ministry of Magic's internal post (HP4) and delivering a pompous letter of congratulations to Ron when he also becomes a Prefect (HP5).

The Screech Owl, primarily through the character of Errol, serves several narrative purposes. Errol's dilapidated state is a constant, gentle reminder of the Weasley family's financial struggles and their inability to afford a new owl, standing in stark contrast to the Malfoys' large, expensive Eagle Owl. Despite his clumsiness, Errol is also a symbol of the Weasleys' warmth and their connection to Harry Potter, faithfully delivering birthday cards and gifts to him at Privet Drive. The two Screech Owls, Errol and Hermes, also act as foils. Errol represents the enduring, if worn, love and unity of the Weasley family. Hermes, in contrast, becomes associated with Percy's ambition, pride, and eventual estrangement from his family.

• Screech Owls are a real family of owls (Megascops in the Americas, Otus elsewhere), known for their distinct, often piercing calls, which gives them their name. Incorporating a real species of animal adds a layer of realism to the Wizarding world.
• In the film adaptations, Errol's appearances are brief but consistently portray him as the clumsy, elderly owl described in the books, often shown crashing upon arrival.