chrisjpainter Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 Has anyone made an owl box? I have some left over bits of pallet wood after a fishing rod rack and wondered about making an owl box. We have an oak tree out the back of the house. It looks out over pasture, with woods close by. We've heard tawnies and littles around and it wouldn't surprise me if there's the odd barn around too, so I think the habitat's okay. Anyone got any advice out there? building, siting, treating, any tips and hints welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Bear Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 Following this one with interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 Google 'Building an Owl box' and you should find a few plans. I've made many bird boxes in the past, with different size entrance holes to suit different birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 51 minutes ago, Yellow Bear said: Following this one with interest. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windswept Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 Good idea, I should really make one as well as we've got plenty of tawnies about and often see the fledged young. I wouldn't risk treating the box, but I'd use something like larch which will last a fairly long time. Plenty of plans about, this warning from the Barn Owl trust is worth noting: "It’s worth remembering that Tawny Owls are highly territorial and will protect the nest site fiercely so full face and head protection is recommended even outside the breeding season." https://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-nestbox/tawny-owl-nestbox/ BTO plans also look helpful. https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/tawny-owl-nest-box-plan.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 If you get one done stick with it, put a couple up in barns on the farms was ages before they were used but used all the time now. ATB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted November 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 I've dropped the Barn Owl Trust an email. I shall report back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 Building an owl nesting box. youtube tons of info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Bear Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 50 minutes ago, Windswept said: Plenty of plans about, this warning from the Barn Owl trust is worth noting: "It’s worth remembering that Tawny Owls are highly territorial and will protect the nest site fiercely so full face and head protection is recommended even outside the breeding season." This could kybosh the location I had in mind as it was for Tawny owls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjaferret Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 I've done quite a few, you'll often find other birds will also use them. And it normally takes a while before the owls will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 If you contact the owl trust they may help or even give you a box? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windswept Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Yellow Bear said: This could kybosh the location I had in mind as it was for Tawny owls. I've never had a problem and it's not unusual to see a pair in the woods that are a few meters away from our house. On a different note, I saw what I think was a young tawny in another woodland and it was being mobbed and chased off by a pair of jays and then a pair of magpies. This was mid morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted November 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 (edited) 14 minutes ago, bruno22rf said: If you contact the owl trust they may help or even give you a box? I've dropped the barn owl trust an email already and you can download plans from the website, so once they get back to me with some ideas I might be able to crack on. I sent them a few photos an idea of the geography of the area, so we'll see what they recommend. I think I'd rather have a bash at making my own, especially as I have a few raw materials just sitting here, but we'll see what they say! Good thinking on the owl trust. I'll see what they say too Edited November 21, 2020 by chrisjpainter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 Best pf luck. As said above there is ....I calculate after a number of tries....about a 5% chance you will get an owl. kestrel yes, tree rats yes... WASPS definitely BUT that does not mean you should not try. Built a number over the years and have friends who have boxes and as yet never had an owl take a look. A number of kestrels and as said in capitals on one occasion a huge wasp nest. I think it is ..location location location ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted November 25, 2020 Report Share Posted November 25, 2020 (edited) Hello, there's one up in the barn on my friends farm made to spec from the owl society, and has a pair of owls nesting, after a few years empty, I often see at night when ratting, Edited November 25, 2020 by oldypigeonpopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeydredd Posted November 25, 2020 Report Share Posted November 25, 2020 (edited) On 21/11/2020 at 15:10, Windswept said: Plenty of plans about, this warning from the Barn Owl trust is worth noting: "It’s worth remembering that Tawny Owls are highly territorial and will protect the nest site fiercely so full face and head protection is recommended even outside the breeding season." That is a bit H&S overkill and if you are not planning to check the box with a stick at any time then you will be quite safe. We checked our boxes regularly at nesting time and rung the youngsters and you just scrape the edge of the box and the owl will usually vacate. We built and sited dozens of boxes (mainly for tawnies) when I was in Scotland and they take them readily. Get the siting right and always ensure there is a suitable branch next to the box entrance so youngsters can easily start to leave the box and branch, which they do at a quite early age. Alternatively affix a branch or piece of wood by the entrance if no natural branch there. Once you site the box put some sawdust or leaf debris in the base. To avoid squirrels taking the box, get some soiled sawdust from someone's ferret hutch and spread some in the box - squirrels do not use them with the scent of the ferret! Box should be at least 12 foot off the ground. If you have a local population and you get the box and site right, they will use it. Edited November 25, 2020 by Mickeydredd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted November 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2020 1 hour ago, Mickeydredd said: That is a bit H&S overkill and if you are not planning to check the box with a stick at any time then you will be quite safe. We checked our boxes regularly at nesting time and rung the youngsters and you just scrape the edge of the box and the owl will usually vacate. We built and sited dozens of boxes (mainly for tawnies) when I was in Scotland and they take them readily. Get the siting right and always ensure there is a suitable branch next to the box entrance so youngsters can easily start to leave the box and branch, which they do at a quite early age. Alternatively affix a branch or piece of wood by the entrance if no natural branch there. Once you site the box put some sawdust or leaf debris in the base. To avoid squirrels taking the box, get some soiled sawdust from someone's ferret hutch and spread some in the box - squirrels do not use them with the scent of the ferret! Box should be at least 12 foot off the ground. If you have a local population and you get the box and site right, they will use it. That's really useful, thanks. I'm torn between the species at the moment. I know tawnies and littles are around, but the position is probably better suited to a barn owl box. The nearest woods are only 300yards (as the Wol flies) but my guess is there are plenty of nesting sites there for tawnies. open pasture and grassland make it great for barns (and kestrels). Have you any suggestions of what sort of box would be a good all rounder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeydredd Posted November 25, 2020 Report Share Posted November 25, 2020 The style and size will be dependent upon your targeted species. Being from Scotland I have no experience of little owls, and you need to be sure you have barn owls on the ground really to warrant putting up a barn owl box. barn owl boxes are best in barns really but if you have tree nesters in the area (usually holes in ash trees along the field edge) then you could try putting a box on such a tree. The style of box is different to a tawny box so have a look online at the designs for the various species. The tawny box designs will also usually suit kestrels too so you have double the chance of occupancy. You may also have to evict jackdaws and stock doves as they take them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted November 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2020 49 minutes ago, Mickeydredd said: The style and size will be dependent upon your targeted species. Being from Scotland I have no experience of little owls, and you need to be sure you have barn owls on the ground really to warrant putting up a barn owl box. barn owl boxes are best in barns really but if you have tree nesters in the area (usually holes in ash trees along the field edge) then you could try putting a box on such a tree. The style of box is different to a tawny box so have a look online at the designs for the various species. The tawny box designs will also usually suit kestrels too so you have double the chance of occupancy. You may also have to evict jackdaws and stock doves as they take them too. Would this on the left be the sort of thing? The little owl box is altogether smaller, but my suspicion is there's not enough cover around the tree for littles. It seems barn owls are a little more happy to tolerate ambient noise around them, even on tree sites, which might be a plus, but I think it's probably the less likely species to be around! oh the conundrum. I could just make three different ones (if I have the wood) and see which one gets used! Second prize of a kestrel would be cool, but I suspect corvids might be the most likely. I have found a supplier of ferret bedding though, so things are moving! Being pallet wood, it's not the most durable of stuff; would treating it with something put off potential inmates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeydredd Posted November 26, 2020 Report Share Posted November 26, 2020 (edited) Let me see if I can find any pics of ours, although I think they will be on an old laptop!! this is the only owl that sat tight when we checked our boxes, clearly due to have her first chick fairly recently hatched. This wasnt one of our boxes, it was a little narrow tbh, but still used clearly! Edited November 26, 2020 by Mickeydredd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeydredd Posted November 26, 2020 Report Share Posted November 26, 2020 12 hours ago, chrisjpainter said: Would this on the left be the sort of thing? The little owl box is altogether smaller, but my suspicion is there's not enough cover around the tree for littles. It seems barn owls are a little more happy to tolerate ambient noise around them, even on tree sites, which might be a plus, but I think it's probably the less likely species to be around! oh the conundrum. I could just make three different ones (if I have the wood) and see which one gets used! Second prize of a kestrel would be cool, but I suspect corvids might be the most likely. I have found a supplier of ferret bedding though, so things are moving! Being pallet wood, it's not the most durable of stuff; would treating it with something put off potential inmates? The box on the left would suit a tawny. Kestrel would not take it, needs to be an open fronted box. We just painted it with brown fence paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeydredd Posted November 26, 2020 Report Share Posted November 26, 2020 Also, don't worry about noise, this natural nest was only about 10 feet up on a roadside beech tree but facing into the field. It was a very open hole that you could easily take a photo into! It is more around disturbance than noise as such that would put them off. They want to breed and if there are no suitable nest sites around then they will use yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted November 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2020 Perfect. Tawny box it is then. If there's enough wood left over, I might think about making another and asking the local farmer if I can pop one up in his woods. Thanks for all the help. I shall report back. I've just got to wait for the council's TPO wombles to get back to me now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeydredd Posted November 26, 2020 Report Share Posted November 26, 2020 It is good to try to get it in place well before breeding season if possible as it gives the local owls plenty time to investigate and claim it. They will roost in the box out of breeding season too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted November 26, 2020 Report Share Posted November 26, 2020 I guy I know met had an issue with egg snatchers . He fitted a set of fishing trebles to the lid😂. The trail of blood was horrendous apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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