Welcome to The Wooden Barn Owl Box, which supplements our line of roto-molded polyethylene products. Our customers have often inquired about a wooden alternative to our popular plastic nest box. Not only is this nest box economical, but we have spared no expense in its production to make it long lasting and functional for barn owls. The nest box is painted on the outside with heat-reflective white and Zero VOC brown (non-off gassing) on the inside to repel pests and moisture and to keep it dark for the birds.
Measures 26 x 19 x 19 and weighs 22 lbs.
Features a 5.5 entrance hole and landing perch on front.
Large 9 x 20″ hinged access panel on the side for easy cleaning and maintenance.
Efficient venting achieved by tapered gap at top and cross venting between entrance hole and rear vent
Rear vent cover is easily removed, allowing for convenient nest box inspection.
Roof overhangs all sides by half an inch and is sloped to repel rain.
The nest box comes unassembled but is put together in a matter of minutes using only an electric drill with a Phillips head driver and a crescent wrench. It can be mounted on either a 4 x 4 post or a 1″ iron pipe using recommended hardware shown in photos on this page. (Hardware not included.)
Why Barn Owls Are Ideal for Effective, Natural Rodent Control
Now in use on farms and private properties throughout the United States, oil palm plantations in Malaysia, rice fields in S.E. Asia, and hay and vegetable farms in Israel, barn owls lend themselves to effective rodent control through a number of unique adaptations:
Barn owls are cavity nesters, so can easily be attracted to nest boxes.
Barn owls live comfortably around human activity such as busy farmyards and agricultural fields
Barn owls are not territorial, allowing farmers to establish dense colonies.
Barn owls raise large numbers of young for a raptor—up to 13 young have been recorded in one nest, although 4 to 7 is more common
Barn owls respond to higher rodent numbers by producing more young.
A single family of barn owls can consume over 1000 pocket gophers per year, or 3000 mice or voles.
Barn owls are extremely faithful to their nest sites, returning year after year.
Once established, barn owls need very little maintenance.
Utilizing barn owls for rodent control is very economical when compared to the costs of poisons and other methods.
Installing the Wooden Barn Owl Box
This nest box can be installed on a 4 x 4 or metal pole. (We do sell our own galvanized pole system which you can find under Barn Owl Pole Kit on our Products tab on the Menu.) Building supply and hardware stores sell a number of brackets and flanges that can be adapted to mounting this box to a 4 x 4 or pole, including those products pictured on this product page.
The Wooden Barn Owl Box comes unassembled to keep your shipping costs down. All holes are predrilled and it is quick and easy to assemble using the exterior deck screws we provide for that purpose.
Where to install: Barn owls are open field hunters. Anywhere there are agricultural fields, vineyards, orchards, row crops, grasslands, pastures, scrub, hay, or meadows is good habitat. Put them up about 8′ off the ground (no need to go higher), face them in an easterly direction (NE, SE, or E). For bedding use a large pieced bark mulch (not shredded in other words) that you can buy at a garden supply.
For farmers using multiple boxes, you can install them as little as fifty feet apart; place them at your convenience, out of the way of your operations. Barn owls are not easily upset by human activity, so they are fine with men working, barking dogs, playing children, tractors, etc.
