Nest Boxes

Wild Owl - educating on the conservation of British owls

Barn owls will use wooden nest boxes very readily if they find them and the box is within close proximity of suitable hunting habitat. Not only will they use them for breeding, in the spring, but they will also make use of them as a roost the rest of the year.

Boxes For Barn Owls

It is estimated that 75% of Britain’s barn owls now nest in wooden nest boxes put up by humans

Siting Exterior Barn Owl Boxes

• Boxes should face NE to SE

• Site them on isolated trees in fields, facing out from woodland edge, trees in hedgerows, on the side of farm buildings or on disused telegraph poles in areas where there are no trees.

• Allow a clear flight path to box entrance (barn owls have a large wingspan)

• Putting boxes up in pairs, within a reasonable distance of each other gives a male barn owl a place to roost whilst the female uses the other as the nest site.

Siting Interior Barn Owl Boxes
• Install in barn, cow shed or similar farm building
• Make sure the building has at least two entrance/exit points
• Avoid siting boxes where ground predators, such as cats, can reach them.
• Ensure rodenticides are not being used in immediate area of nest box site.

General Advice on Installing Barn Owl Boxes
• Boxes should be sited at about 8ft - 15ft off the ground
• Owls look for holes, so make sure that the entrance hole is visible to any passing owls.
• Do not site boxes near to main roads or within 1/2 mile of motorways or dual carriageways, due to high risk of road fatalities.
• Boxes should be installed in open countryside close to areas of suitable vole-rich hunting habitat
• Barn owls are a Schedule 1 species and so should not be disturbed in any way during the breeding season - nest box inspection should only be carried out by a licensed person.
• Barn owls are generally nervous in the first year of using a new nesting site, and prone to desert the site if disturbed - once they have successfully bred, they are less likely to desert.
• They will tolerate general activity around the nest box during the day (farm vehicles, dogs, children playing etc). but they don’t like surprises!
• If jackdaws begin to nest in box entrance corridor, this should be cleared immediately to avoid adults or young being trapped in box (applies to certain box designs)
• Ensure there is an area for young fledglings to exercise (shelf built into box design, beams, etc)
• It can take over two years for a box to be used, so be patient! The odds will always increase if there is lots of vole-rich habitat in the immediate area.

Boxes For Tawny Owls

Tawny owls are a woodland owl which take readily to nest boxes - care should be taken, however, to ensure they are sited in a suitable place

This page is designed to give general advice on installing wooden boxes and nesting baskets for the owl species that are likely to use them - please contact me for more detailed advice and advice on designs

Tawny owls are a sedentary woodland species, staying in their territories all year round. They defend these patches from other tawny owls, particularly in the autumn in the run up to the breeding season, when young birds are attempting to set up their own territories.

Cautionary Notes Re. Active Nest Boxes

Young tawny owlets will leave the nest box at 3 - 4 weeks old and will climb into the woodland canopy. They will generally not return to the box after leaving, and will be fed by

both male and female

Adult birds as night falls.

These chicks will sometimes fall from the canopy and will spend long periods sat on the ground, even during the day. It is at this time that, despite constant guarding by the parents, the chicks are vulnerable to attack by foxes, dogs, cats and members of the crow family, that will often peck the chicks to death. Siting of boxes should therefore consider this natural

behaviour and boxes should not be installed in gardens

where there are, in particular, cats.

It should also be noted that female tawny owls will Sometimes attack humans in defence of their fledglings if they feel they are in danger, so it is not advisable to encourage this species to breed in areas where there is a lot of human activity, and in particular where children play.

Many of these chicks are picked up by humans as presumed orphans each year.

Please click here for more details.

Mum’s watching!!

Tawny chick on ground

Boxes For Little Owls

Little owls like to nest in dark places where they feel secure from larger predators.

Little owls with an established natural nesting site cannot always be tempted to use wooden nest boxes straight away, but as long as they are in place as an option, the birds may use them if the existing site becomes un-usable.

General information for all species

• Hunting habitats are essential to the success of artificial nest sites, and so habitat creation such as field margins and set aside for voles, woodland cover for wood mice, insecticide-free field habitats for invertebrates etc are crucial to the success of these boxes and baskets. Without a reliable source of food, breeding success will be very limited.

• Natural material can be put inside nest boxes to provide material for a scrape eg leaf mulch, shredded paper etc - (Nb. Do not use sawdust as this can be harmful to birds if swallowed)

• Boxes may not always be used, but if they remain in place, they can provide a roost for owls during the winter and eventually may be used if an existing natural site is lost.

• Boxes can often be occupied by unwelcome squatters, such as squirrels, jackdaws etc. Once this has been positively established, these unwelcome guests should be evicted asap to ensure the box is available for the target species of owl.

• Owl nest boxes are unlikely to be used for breeding unless there is suitable habitats nearby. Click here for advice on habitats.

• Owls are low-flying birds and nest boxes for barn, tawny and little owls only need to be 6 - 12 ft off the ground. Boxes in danger of being interfered with by vandals should be positioned higher, with this in mind.

• Tawny owl, little owl and long-eared owl chicks all leave the nest at 3 - 4 weeks and will adventure away from the nest - provision should be made for this natural behaviour.

• Barn owl chicks do not ‘branch’ in the same way as the other species, and will only be fed by the parents in the nest, so any chicks found on the floor will need rescuing. Click here for advice on finding chicks.

• To establish if a nest site is being used, it is necessary to quietly observe the box/basket in the breeding season from a non-intrusive distance, and preferably under camouflage. An adult observed bringing food to the nest would either be a male delivering food to a brooding female, or male/female delivering food to chicks - this will be confirmed by loud hissing from the chicks upon receiving food (louder as they get older). Branched chicks will call for food from the tree canopy and will be found and fed by the parents.

This information is for guidance only - please contact me for more specific advice.

Siting Little Owl Boxes

• Preferred direction of box entrance hole is NE to SE

• Site in hedgerows, orchards, on outside walls of farm buildings, isolated trees in fields (not in woodland), inside small farm buildings.

• Boxes can be sited at any level from 4ft to 10ft off the ground, depending on risk of disturbance or vandalism.

• Avoid siting boxes where cats could be a threat to young branching owlets.

Baskets For Long-eared Owls

Long-eared owls do not use hollows for nesting, but the nests of other birds in conifer woodland and also regularly on the top of hawthorn. They have also been know to nest at ground level.

Long-eared owls use the nests of crows, magpies etc for breeding - the use of artificial nesting baskets can simulate these natural nest sites.

Siting Long-eared Owl Baskets

• Garden-type hanging baskets, lined with twigs and carpet can be used, and secured to tree branch with wire

• Install at the top of trees or on hawthorn bushes

• Large areas of vole-rich habitat should be available nearby. Click here for habitat advice.

• Avoid siting close to any know sparrowhawk or magpie nests (young long-eared are often taken by these predators)

The Short-eared Owl

It is not possible to provide artificial nesting sites for the ground nesting short-eared owl. So the best thing we can do is continue to campaign for protection of it’s upland breeding habitats and ensure we have sufficient habitat in the south for wintering short-eared owls.

Siting Tawny Owl Boxes

• Boxes should face NE to SE if exposed to elements

• Height of box should be approx 10ft off ground

• Site them within woodland, in groups of trees, large gardens, churchyards etc.

• In larger woods, more than one box can be sited to give male a roost site.

• Allow a clear flight path to box entrance

• Do not site boxes in places where there is regular human activity (ie. Busy footpaths, near playgrounds, etc)

• Inspection hatch should be tied with wire, not string or cable tie which can be bitten by squirrels.