Why installing Barn Owl Boxes
in the summer makes sense.
We often are asked what the best time of year is for installing nest boxes. Most people believe that springtime is best since it coincides with the breeding season. But barn owls begin choosing mates and potential sites not in spring, but in late winter. December and January mark the beginning of courtship and females are normally positioned inside the nest box by February or early March preparing to lay eggs. So, installing a nest box in spring is often too late.
In addition, the longer a new nest box is visible to local owls, the more accustomed to it they become. So installing earlier can help with the speed of occupation once breeding season begins. Summer also affords better weather for installation, so the upshot is that summer is an excellent time for getting barn owl nest boxes in the field.
Thanks to all of our customers for making our business as successful as it has become. Each time we sell a nest box, it is a win-win for barn owls across the country and for those wanting to enjoy these beautiful rodent hunters.
It seems that almost every aspect of maintaining barn owl nest boxes generates differing opinions; and how and why to add substrate to nest boxes is no exception.
One source of confusion comes from the fact that barn owls, unlike most birds, do not carry any bedding to their nests. On the surface, this would indicate that they do not need humans to add substrate to their nest boxes. Adding to the confusion is that barn owls do cough up pellets of fur and bone that accumulate on the floor of a nest. This also leads people to believe that these pellets negate the need for any additional nesting material. But there are some very good reasons to not rely on pellets for substrate.
Eggs are best protected by thick substrate.
For millennia, barn owls have nested in tree cavities. Such cavities had floors of soft, uneven wood and generally provided a fairly stable surface for the eggs to remain in place. But wooden and plastic nest boxes such as ours have hard, smooth floors and eggs roll readily around on such surfaces. Also, as the hen moves around, she can damage the eggs accidentally. Installing a nest box and not providing substrate means that when the hen begins laying, most of the floor will be bare and therefore dangerous to the eggs. Relying on pellet production is also not a good idea since the hen will produce only one or two pellets in the nest box per day. That is not enough to provide ample bedding to protect the eggs by the time the hen begins laying.
So, the answer is that three to four inches of bedding should be strewn across the entire floor of the nest box. Fine material such as laboratory bedding, sawdust, ground corn cob, or shredded wood should be avoided. The reason for this is that when the hen tears apart prey to feed to the youngest chicks, pieces of fine bedding can stick to the prey and then be ingested by the chick. Therefore, large pieced mulch such as garden mulch is perfect. This can be hardwood, pine, fir, or many other types of wood. Cedar is best avoided because it emits irritating fumes.
One year, my team of researchers in California could not re-bed our 25 nest boxes on our study vineyard in time for the beginning of breeding season. When we finally did get the opportunity, we found that most of the nest boxes that had eggs in them already also were ones that still contained a good amount of bedding. And nest boxes that had mostly bare floors did not–indicating that hens had rejected these nest boxes in favor of those that had a good amount of substrate. So, the barn owls themselves proved the point.
https://www.barnowlbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/TBOBC_Header.png00Markhttps://www.barnowlbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/TBOBC_Header.pngMark2022-04-26 11:20:042022-04-26 11:20:04How and Why to Add Bedding to Barn Owl Nest Boxes
Save $40 off of our regular price. No limits on purchases.
Take advantage of our deep Xmas discounts for our premier product, the Barn Owl Nest Box Pole Model.This plastic molded nest box is lightweight, long lasting, heat resistant and is by the far the best barn owl box on the market. It is now in use by thousands of vineyards, orchards, state wildlife agencies, and private property owners. Normally $259, it is now deeply discounted for Christmas at $219. Good till December 18th! Go to https://www.barnowlbox.com/shop/boxes/the-pole-model/ to order.
Barn owls consume extraordinary numbers of harmful rodent pests including pocket gophers, voles, mice, and rats and have been shown to significantly reduce pest numbers and damage to crops from pests. See the PBS segment on our research in California here: http://www.americasheartland.org/episodes/episode_714/owls_save_crops.htm
Note the baby barn owls peering out from the entrance.
The Barn Owl Nest Box Pole Model, constructed of rugged molded plastic, features a landing ledge, exterior perch, rain guard, and viewing window in the rear. It incorporates heat reflective pigments in the outer box, combined with highly efficient venting that keeps the nest box near ambient temperature in full sun. The nest box has been used in various research projects around the country and achieves 80 to 100% occupancy in many regions. State biologists in California, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania have been installing them in conservation programs. Vineyards, orchards, row crops, sugar cane and other agriculture use them in sophisticated nest box programs to create dense populations of owls that reduce rodent numbers and rodent control costs.
Barn Owl Breeding Season is Coming
Barn owls begin breeding activity as early as January in warmer areas, and as late as early March in others. They are highly skilled at locating cavities suitable for nesting and constantly search for entrances that will accomodate them and their young. The best time to install is anywhere from November to mid-March. We also offer the Barn Owl Box Pole Kit, visible in the photo on the right that allows for easy installation. You can see this product here: https://www.barnowlbox.com/shop/installation/339/
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Our own North American barn owl, Tyto furcata pratincola, is part of the entire Tyto furcata group known as American Barn owls that range from southern Canada all the way to Argentina. The subspecies in Costa Rica is Tyto furcata guatemalae which ranges from Guatemala down through northern Columbia. The race is somewhat darker and more heavily speckled than the North American barn owl, but in habits is much the same.
In my recent visit to Costa Rica to find out whether barn owls are being used in agriculture there, I was surprised to learn that no one knew of a single nest box that anyone had installed for these birds. But conversations about the proliferation of rodent pests in agriculture such as sugar cane and rice led me to believe that the use of barn owls in this beautiful country has the potential for a great deal of benefit to farms and plantations.
Costa Rican sugar cane is plagued with rodents that barn owls could help reduce.
My naturalist friend George Hagnauer who lives with his family on a beautiful property near the town of Canas in the dry sunny state of Guanacaste told stories of rat plagues when rat populations boomed in the monocultures of sugar cane and rice. Rats became a terrible problem in people’s gardens and homes and of course destroyed crops at devastating levels.
The farmers resorted to a cocktail of poisons and the result mirrored those that had occured decades earlier in Israel, with many other non-target animals succumbing to the poisons by preying on the effected rats and mice. This included many raptorial birds such as hawks and owls and other wild predators. One of the more insidious facts about the poisons used in Costa Rica is that many of them are poisons banned for use in the U.S., but still manufactured in the U.S. and shipped to other countries where they exact untold damage on wildlife and ecosystems.
The fact that sugar cane enterprises in Florida are utilizing hundreds of barn owl nest boxes to manage rodent numbers to prevent such outbreaks is testimony to the effectiveness of barn owls in suppressing crop damage in that one crop alone. Costa Rica is a major producer of bananas and using barn owls there should be explored for its potential for lowering the use of poisons in one of the most biodiverse regions of the world.
Announcing the launch of our new product: The Wooden Barn Owl Box.
The Wooden Barn Owl Box from the Barn Owl Box Company
Our newest product, the Wooden Barn Owl Box is a departure from our rotomolded nest boxes. We have been asked for some period of time to produce a wooden box, so in keeping with customer demand we have designed this cutting-edge wooden box, sparing no amount of labor or expense to ensure that this nest box excels over other wooden boxes that are being offered. We accomplish this through adhering to the same high standards that we apply to the construction of our rotomolded boxes: heat-resistant surfaces, efficient ventilation, excellent water-proofing, and ease of maintenance. The nest box is painted with two coats of heat reflective paint.
The photos below show the various innovative features of this nest box. During this time of preventative measures against coronavirus when our manufacturers are shut down, we will be able to manufacture and ship these boxes from our Pennsylvania location nationwide.
The roof is sloped to the rear and overhangs all sides to repel rain. A tapered gap at the top provides excellent ventilation. The 9 x 18 access door allows for easy maintenance, and the front features a 5.5″ entrance hole and landing perch.
The large access door allows for quick and easy cleaning and the brown interior protects against pests and moisture and keeps it dark for the birds.
The weatherproof vent on the rear doubles as an inspection window when the plastic cover is removed.
In addition to the above features, the Wooden Barn Owl Box incorporates two coats of a specially designed, heat-reflective paint for roofing applications that keeps the box close to ambient temperature even in full sun. The interior dark brown paint also provides moisture and pest resistance and keeps the box dark for the birds.
At 24 x 19 x 19 inches the nest box provides ample space for a family of barn owls. The box weighs 26 pounds. The clean out door makes it quick and easy to clean and maintain, and the combination vent and viewing window in the rear allows for inspection of the contents of the box without the need to look through the entrance hole. Excellent ventilation is achieved through cross venting between the rear vent and the entrance hole combined with the long gaps at the top of each side.
The nest box assembles in under half an hour, requiring only an electric drill and Phillips head drill bit. Any questions regarding this new product, email us at marksbrowning@gmail.com or call 877-637-8269.
Three different mounting methods for the Wooden Barn Owl Box. (1) The first is perhaps the easiest when mounting on a 4 x 4 post. The base is bolted to the center of the nest box underside and receives the post which is then secured with screws. (2) The second piece of hardware also screws to a 4 x 4. (3) The round flange is what is used to attach the nest box to the threads on a 1″ Schedule C pipe. All three are available at hardware and building supply stores.
Tips on Placement and Installation
Barn owls are open field hunters and therefore their nest boxes should be placed near open areas such as vineyards, orchards, pastures, grasslands, wetlands, or row crops. Entrance holes may be a bit more attractive to barn owls if they face easterly (NE, SE, or E) directions. The barn owl box does not need to be erected any higher than eight feet. Always place large pieced bark mulch about three inches deep across the entire floor. Barn owls will breed in any month of the year, but can be so quiet that you will not know they are there. Keep inspections to a minimum. If you discover barn owls on eggs or with chicks, let them be until the chicks are close to fledging age (six to nine weeks). Attracting barn owls is as simple as erecting a nest box and allowing the barn owls to find the nest box with their excellent eyesight.
The Barn Owl Box Company Booth at the World Ag Expo 2018
Discount prices for the molded plastic Barn Owl Box at the World Ag Expo
The Barn Owl Box Company will have a booth (Booth 1327, Pavilion A & B) at the World Ag Expo, being held February 13 – 15, 2018 in Tulare, California. The expo is the largest agricultural exposition held annually in the country, attracting nearly 200,00 visitors, many of whom are in the agricultural industry. Professionals involved in the vineyards, orchards, hay fields, row crops, and cattle industry from all over the United States will attend. This will be the company’s third time hosting at the expo where interest in our products is always very high.
World Ag Expo Special Discounts
Nest boxes ordered at the expo will be priced at World Ag Expo discounts. Nest boxes normally priced at $189 will be on sale for $169; orders of 10 or more will be priced at $149 each.
Free Consultations Regarding Using Barn Owls for Rodent Control
Barn Owl Box Company representatives, including Mark Browning, field researcher and designer of the nest boxes, will be present to answer
questions regarding attracting barn owls and their effectiveness in reducing rodent numbers in various types of agriculture. Information specific to the needs of individual farms and vineyards will be available, including advice on nest box density, integrated pest management approaches, and installation location preferences.
Barn Owl Box Company Distributors Sought
California is hands down the most cutting edge state in terms of using barn owls for rodent control. Our distributors, mainly farm and irrigation supply stores, do extremely well with our products and we seek to expand our distributors in the state. Interested parties should stop by our booth or call 412-874-9403 to set up a meeting ahead of time.
World Ag Expo General Info
Held February 13-15, 2018. Tuesday & Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.. Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.. General Admission $15 at the gate. Children 6 and under, free. Location International Agri-Center 4500 South Laspina Street Tulare, California.
https://www.barnowlbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/TBOBC_Header.png00MARK BROWNINGhttps://www.barnowlbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/TBOBC_Header.pngMARK BROWNING2017-12-15 12:12:042018-01-22 07:54:06Barn Owl Box Company Booth at the World Ag Expo Tulare CA
66 young barn owls fledged from 18 active nests in 2012 on a single 100 acre vineyard.
The Barn Owl/Rodent Study
Just published in the Journal of Pest Management, Newport Beach, California: From 2011 through 2013, researcher Mark Browning and a team of students from U.C. Davis and Columnes River College saturated a 100-acre vineyard south of Sacramento, California with 25 barn owl nest boxes, eventually resulting in a population of 36 adult owls that fledged 66 young. This produced a population of 102 barn owls hunting the vineyard and surrounding area. Using data gleaned from nest box cams, the research was able to conclude that this rather incredible density of owls consumed 30,000 + rodents over a three year period. Statistical analysis showed a strong correlation of number of owls to a decline in rodent activity. This study is the first of its kind to accurately record the number of rodent deliveries to growing barn owl chicks, and the first to establish the economic value of barn owls to farmers and property owners. Cost comparison data showed that the average cost of trapping per rodent was $8.11 while the nest box program resulted in a cost of .27 per rodent taken by barn owls. This provides very valuable and useful information for farmers to use in assessing the effectiveness and results of barn owl nest box programs.
https://www.barnowlbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/TBOBC_Header.png00MARK BROWNINGhttps://www.barnowlbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/TBOBC_Header.pngMARK BROWNING2017-08-05 15:29:312017-08-05 15:35:27Newly Published Paper Shows How Barn Owls Can Reduce Rodents in Agriculture
Kentucky DNR is erecting barn owl nest boxes in good habitat
The Barn Owl is on Kentucky’s list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need under their State Wildlife Action Plan and on their Heritage program’s list of species of special concern. In recent years, the state has been busy installing barn owl boxes on buildings, trees and poles in areas with suitable habitat. They also encourage private landowners to do the same and provide info on their website for this purpose.
According to the Kentucky DNR website: “The infrequency of reports of this species in Kentucky is somewhat surprising because much suitable habitat in the form of pastures, hayfields, croplands, reclaimed surface-mine lands, and restored grasslands is present. In fact, 38% of the state is composed of undeveloped, open land (grassland/herbaceous, pasture, cropland, etc.). With such an abundance of suitable habitat, it seems Kentucky should host an abundance of Barn Owls. It is likely that the scarcity of breeding records is in part due to the elusive nature of these nocturnal predators.”
“Barn owls are sparsely scattered through most of the state except for the eastern fifth, where they are very rare.” says Kentucky State
Thanks to Kentucky Department Of Natural Resources
Biologist Kate Heyden. “Most records are coming in from the western third and north-central parts of the state,” she adds. “Though part of the issue of finding barn owls may be getting access to old barns and silos on private property, my gut feeling is that even though we are likely missing some owls out there, the bird is still rare. We have very few barn owls brought into rehab centers and few road kills. Nonetheless, we finally started putting boxes on poles this year in one of the best areas of the state for barn owls. I’m hoping we’ll start some population expansion there.”
As with other states such as Ohio, where biologists have erected over 400 nest boxes on barns, and Illinois, where biologists have reported an increase from three known breeding pairs to over sixty, Kentucky is poised to bolster their barn owl populations through its ongoing nest box program, especially since the state possesses widespread prime habitat.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources encourages residents to install nest boxes and would like to learn more about nesting Barn Owls. Please report Barn Owl nests to 1-800-858-1549 or to kate.slankard@ky.gov.
Nest boxes in Ohio are helping increase the barn owl population dramatically
Once very common in Ohio, barn owl populations dwindled since the 1950’s. Now the barn owl is making a dramatic comeback in the state, due to nest box programs being conducted by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
Since 1988 agency biologists have installed nest boxes on more than 400 barns. The number of nests known nests increased from 19 in 1988 to more than 100 in 2012, and that number is only increasing. Biologists believe many nest in areas other than these boxes.
Barn owls are doing particularly well in the southwestern region of the state in counties that border the Ohio River. But other rivers, orchards, cattle farms, and hay and wheat fields throughout the state also provide good habitat. Corn and soy farms, on the other hand, attract few of these owls.
The benefit to farmers in the region has high potential. One barn owl family will take approximately three thousand rodents per year, mainly voles, mice, and rats. These pests can breed out of control and eat huge amounts of grain, girdle trees in orchards, and cause untold damage to floors and wiring in barns and outbuildings. A family or two of owls on a farm can make a noticeable difference.
The Ohio DNR encourages residents to install nest boxes in good habitat. Reporting sightings of barn owls helps the Division of Wildlife biologists estimate how many live in Ohio. This information benefits conservation efforts by tracking where and how the owls live. People who have barn owls living near them, they are encouraged to call the ODNR Division of Wildlife at 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543) or email wildinfo@dnr.state.oh.us.
Barn owl numbers are good in the prairies and grasslands of eastern Colorado and in the valleys and scrub lands of the western part of the state. They nest in cottonwoods, hay bales, riverbanks, culverts, old mines, and even excavate their own nesting burrows in sandstone cliffs. They do well near fields of alfalfa and row crops as well as on the grassy plateaus at 5000 to 6500 feet. The central part of the state is dominated by the Rocky Mountains where barn owls are rare to nonexistent. Open field hunters, barn owls typically avoid forested areas and high altitudes.
Barn Owl Prey in Colorado
Barn owls are common in eastern Colorado and in the western valleys (Orange areas)
As in many arid western states, the kangaroo rat, an inhabitant of dry scrub and desert, is an important prey. Named for their habit of hopping along on their two hind legs, kangaroo rats are natural denizens of arid areas and provide a staple food for barn owl populations. However, in the agricultural areas, with large orchards of peaches and apples, barn owls concentrate on vole and gopher populations that are always attracted to fruit farms. Cattle remains Colorado’s largest agricultural enterprise, and on cattle farms, barn owls will likely find house mice and Norwegian rats to be the most common prey.
Barn Owls Digging their own Burrows
It was in New Mexico in 1973 when a researcher (Martin) witnessed barn owls excavating their own nesting burrow in an arroyo wall. Later, in 1978, two researchers (Millsap and Millsap), conducted more extensive research on this phenomenon in Colorado. They found that barn owls preferred to dig their own burrows over occupying already existing nest boxes even though it took a lot more effort. Burrows were typically dug directly into the hillside ending in a round hollow where the eggs were laid. Burrows took between five and nine nights to excavate. The researchers concluded that the burrows into the earth provided a survival advantage over other types of nest sites: they were cooler during the heat of the day, and provided more protection from predators.
Kansas grasslands provide excellent barn owl habitat
Kansas has abundant good habitat for barn owls including prairie, pasture, hayfields, river valleys, and scrublands, all with good supplies of food in the form of voles, mice, and kangaroo rats. Barn owls are present in every county, and anywhere they can find barns, outbuildings, abandoned houses, holes in cliffs, and nest boxes, they colonize very quickly. The main problem in Kansas is that suitable nesting sites in much of this good habitat are very scarce. Grasslands and hayfields stretch for miles without good nesting places.
Residents who put up nest boxes are often rewarded very quickly by barn owls taking up residence.
Barn owls both find and dig nest holes along the Cimarron River
Max Thompson, a well-known birder and author of bird books of Kansas, agrees that a lack of nesting sites keeps barn owl populations lower than they could be. He does say that barn owls are common along the Cimarron River in the southwestern part of the state, particularly Morton County, where they find or even dig hollows in the clay and rock banks. This would indicate that anywhere in Kansas where high banks or cliffs border river valleys, barn owls will be present in good numbers. Both the Cimarron and the Arkansas River systems are comprised of many such tributaries.
Likewise, nest boxes should meet with good success in the state, since barn owls are always on the lookout for suitable breeding sites.
Barn owl nests in the cliffs along the Snake River are common
Barn Owls in Idaho
As our range map shows, barn owl populations in the southern half of Idaho are excellent from the agricultural valleys to the high desert scrublands; the northern half is too heavily forested for barn owls except for certain lower altitude valleys in the west.
Biologist Bruce Haak of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game cites the existence of thousands of miles of river cliffs, such as those along the Snake River, where barn owls find abundant crevices and holes in lava, sandstone, and clay for nesting. In the agricultural valleys of orchards, crops, wheat, and irrigated hay, he says they breed in barns, silos, and other outbuildings. The desert scrub provides high numbers of rodents, including kangaroo rats; the farm lands produce rich supplies of voles and pocket gophers.
Road deaths of barn owls on Idaho highways have drawn a lot of attention. Jim Belthoff, biology professor at Boise,
Barn owls ready to fledge
has estimated that a few thousand barn owls die each year on roads in the state. Despite these high numbers, it must be kept in mind that the presence of so many barn owls (of which a percentage do succumb to being hit by vehicles) is actually a sign of a very healthy barn owl population in the surrounding countryside. Barn owls produce large numbers of young to offset high mortality (as much as 75% in the first year), and there are no signs that road deaths are adversely effecting barn owl numbers in the state. One of the main reasons that barn owls get hit so often is that they are edge hunters, and the roads provide just such an edge.
Idaho contains excellent numbers of barn owls in the southern half
A large pellet study revealed that barn owls in Idaho prey heavily on voles (meadow mice), however this will vary depending on the specific area. Where pocket gophers or kangaroo rats predominate, they will likely predominate in the owl diet.
Farmers of blueberries, grapes, apples, and other crops are using barn owls in nest box programs in Idaho to help suppress rodent pests.
Why installing Barn Owl Boxes
