Owl Boxes

[TeeDee]

Can anyone provide me some useful information relating to Owl Boxes beyond that they are a Box and Occasionally they house Owls.

I've already put up some smaller bird boxes elsewhere and noticed on occasion Owls roosting in the trees and I'd like to if possible encourage them to stay.

So what do the clever people of the forum know about getting Owls to want to set some roots down.

TIA

 

[FerlasDave]

Funnily enough I had similar thoughts recently. I spoke to Dan at tadorna tours, she looks after the owl boxes on the Gower and she reckons it’s as simple as placing them in known habitat. Just be sure to place more than enough so they can choose what they like the look of.

I’ve been looking at box designs as well. There seems to be a lot of conflicting advice on size, so maybe try a few different sizes too?

 

[Stew]

I’ve looked at making some a few times so would be interested too.

From what I’ve looked at, placement can be quite important.

 

[Robson Valley]

Owls are quite territorial here. All that hooting is a mark of territory. Makes no sense at all to attempt to crowd them.

Get out before you could see your scope cross hairs on a tree trunk. Listen for the owls. They have "hooting trees" to mark their places. Got your binoculars? Go to the bottoms of what you think might be hooting trees. Look for the pellets of fur and bones that they cough up from kills.

The best of the best, the best of all to watch, are the crazy little burrowing owls that live in underground tunnels. They can be attracted to artificial constructions as their populations are at risk.

 

[Stew]

Owls are quite territorial here. All that hooting is a mark of territory. Makes no sense at all to attempt to crowd them.

Get out before you could see your scope cross hairs on a tree trunk. Listen for the owls. They have "hooting trees" to mark their places. Got your binoculars? Go to the bottoms of what you think might be hooting trees. Look for the pellets of fur and bones that they cough up from kills.

The best of the best, the best of all to watch, are the crazy little burrowing owls that live in underground tunnels. They can be attracted to artificial constructions as their populations are at risk.

Any tips on owl boxes though?

 

[Robson Valley]

No. They pick their nesting spots. Might be tree cavities made by the big Pileated Woodpeckers. They can't use additional crowded(?) nesting opportunities.
Except for the Burrowing Owls, I've never heard of anyone interfering with the owls. Prey abundance seems to have nothing to do with it. They just need "elbow room" spaced away from each other.

 

[Stew]

So not too helpful then.

 

[TeeDee]

This is the reason i've found the Ignore button so useful Stew.

 

[Stew]

Indeed.

So I did used to pass a car on a dog walk from my owl house labelled up with the Bucks Owl Raptor Group. Never saw the owner to chat to, which was a shame.

 

[TeeDee]

Helping birds near you

Advice from the wildlife team on looking after your local feathered friends. From the best bird tables to helping prevent injuries and attacks.

www.rspb.org.uk

https://slconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2019.10-BARN-OWL-NEST-BOX.pdf

 

[demographic]

If I'm looking for manuals or plans online I usually just feed whatever ut is followed by PDF into the search engine.
In this case Owl Box PDF.

I've never made any but have made batboxes in the past and just got plans off the net to copy.

 

[billycoen]

The Barn Owl trust might give you some info..i've just had a quick look,and there is some info on Barn Owl boxes for trees,

 

[slowworm]

They also have tawney owl boxes, https://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-nestbox/tawny-owl-nestbox/

I'm lucky in that I border some old woodland which must have plenty of suitable holes in the trees as each year the tawnies raise a brood. This year we've had the fledgelings about the garden and they do make a bit of a racket (in a nice way). Sounds like this but we had four calling and they were loader.

 

[Broch]

I used to be a member of a barn owl group - we used to put up tree/post boxes (pent roof boxes) and barn boxes (old tea chests with a hole cut in). I've also put up boxes for tawny owls. I've had success with the barn owl boxes (both the outside ones and the barn ones) but, so far, no success with the tawny boxes.

I have a few resources - the RSPB Birdfeeder Handbook includes a tawny owl box design.

The RSPB leaflet - Nestboxes for Owls and Kestrels has designs for tawny's, barn owls, and kestrels; but I think that has now been replaced by their online resources:

Helping birds near you

Advice from the wildlife team on looking after your local feathered friends. From the best bird tables to helping prevent injuries and attacks.

www.rspb.org.uk

Then, the Hawk and Owl Trust published a great booklet (by Colin Shawyer) - Boxes, Baskets and Platforms sadly out of print but worth keeping an eye open for.

Boxes, Baskets and Platforms: Artificial Nest Sites for Owls and Other Birds of Prey: Amazon.co.uk: Dewar, Susan, Shawyer, Colin R., Shanter, Colin: 9780950318769: Books

Buy Boxes, Baskets and Platforms: Artificial Nest Sites for Owls and Other Birds of Prey Revised by Dewar, Susan, Shawyer, Colin R., Shanter, Colin (ISBN: 9780950318769) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

Edit - Sorry, just realised you'd found the RSPB online resource

 

[Broch]

I'm assuming the roosting owls are Tawnies?

If so, there are two basic boxes - an 'upright box' and a 'chimney box' - if you need diagrams I can send them.

 

[Broch]

So not too helpful then.

No more than your post really Stew - (only pulling your leg).

Look guys, I do occasionally understand your frustration, but, being someone that is passionate about owls, I found RV's post very interesting - we don't have 'burrowing' owls here, but I'd never thought about the possibility that you can provide artificial burrows for them!