Return to the Wildlife Garden Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
Posted by maden_theshade 8 - Austin (My Page) on Sat, Dec 9, 06 at 20:41
| So I got my screech owl box up several weeks ago. The man at Wildbirds Unlimited told me to face it East and place it over a large branch. I did all that, but I still don't have an owl. Have they all flown South? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
I'm glad you put up a box!
I think you need to be patient, sometimes it take a couple of years,... did the same thing this spring but
so far I only cached a bee swarm!
Konrad |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| Screech owls do not migrate. Good luck. Hope one finds you. |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| I didn't really think that they migrated....but the guy at the store made it sound so easy! :-) He talked about how hard it was for these little guys to find a suitable hole. He even showed me a photo of an owl in front of a box...he said it nested within two days of putting it up. Guess I'll just have to stay tuned and hope the squirrels don't take it over first! Thanks! |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| Watch your box. You be more likely to have as a nester a young owl just establishing a teritory than one that has lived in the area for a while. Ask your conservation department for nesting dates for your area. Good luck with your box. |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| I just built and erected a barred owl box this past weekend.After hearing the adult calls in the woods near my house for years,I decided to try to entice them to nest in view of my back yard.I situated the box fifty foot up in a small grove of norway spruces,about 500ft from my house, overlooking a densely wooded ravine on one side and cattle fields on the other.What's the chance of them taking up residence?I'd be happy if I just got a bee hive. |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| Good for you! >>I situated the box fifty foot up in a small grove of Norway spruces How did you get it up this high?...climbing? >>I'd be happy if I just got a bee hive. ....this is how mine looked
looking from the bottom up.. 
Moved them into a hive box
 Made up a pulley [bicycle wheel] for easy lowering and pulling up.
 Konrad |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| Last Spring, using dimensions from a website on bird houses, I built and hung a screech owl house. Ran angle aluminum down edges and put hardware cloth around entrance hole, knowing what grey squirrels do. Expected that I would have to wait. Hoping to find a beggar who can't be choosy. Once saw a persons home surrounded by several boxes they had put up and the little owl outside one was actually making some sort of sing-song, rather than just typical noises. |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| For what it's worth, we do need honeybees, too : ) I think you can apply a thin smear of vaseline to the inside top of the box to prevent wasps and bees housing in there. Do not make it too thick or it may soil delicate feathers. |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
Konrad;
Very very kool!I guess you took those photos too. |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
It can take awhile, but it's great when you first see that face peering out from the hole.
Years ago, I put up over a dozen owl boxes in the woodlands around our cottage...over the last couple of decades they've been home to flying squirrels, deer mice, bats, great crested flycatchers, flickers, kestrels, tree swallows, starlings, and even the occasional owl (both screech and saw whet)
Oddly enough, the wood duck boxes I maintain have attracted more owls over the years than the purpose built "owl" boxes. I've never seen screech owls nest in them, but they use them as roost holes throughout the winter. The saw whets have used them to nest, however.
Good luck and keep us posted. |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
Thank you nywoodsman!
Yes, have taken these pics.
Konrad |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
Animals can be so strange....you may put all your time and effort into building just the right box, selecting a 'perfect' site, and then....nothing. Or the opposite may happen, and it will seem as if they were sitting around WAITING for you to get their new home up and going for them. I think it's different for everybody, but you will have to be PATIENT.
Years ago we got a booklet from the DNR that had blueprints and general info for houses that were specific for each species. We looked it over and chose to make wood duck boxes, thinking they would have a place to nest by our pond. What we learned, in fact, was that many species simply don't care if a box is not "designed" for them...if they can get their bodies through the hole, there's nobody already at home (depending on the animal this may not matter either) and the place seems safe enough, it's a done deal.
Not only will screech owls use a duck box as a day haven, they will indeed nest and rear young in them. There is a slough I frequent that has three duck boxes on it, and during one spring I discovered one particular box was home to a nest of screechies. I think the slough was dry that year, but usually this box is surrounded by about 2 1/2 feet of water...a rough first flight for any chick. I can't recall how many chicks were in that nest...I will have to try to dig out the animal album and find the photos. But they will use a duck box.
When we first hung out duck boxes here at our place, I was getting frustrated waiting. It was something like three years before we finally found a nest, and then all three boxes had action!! It's worth the wait, so hang in there.
But I'm still waiting for bats to use their house....I don't think they need any extra places with all the shagbark hickories. But the winner in my Crazy Nester category goes to the bluebirds at my dad's place. For the past three years, there has been a pair of bluebirds nesting in his martin house. Not a thing to be seen of any martins, but these blues are shoulder to shoulder with house sparrows and to this day I don't yet understand how they are pulling this off. |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| Hey Everybody as a new member i would just like to say how great it is to see so many people who are just as passionate about nature and gardening as I. |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| Well, still no owls. But I think they won't start nesting til March. I'll keep you updated! I can't wait to see one roosting! |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| Yesterday morning I saw a starling checking out my box. Well, making herself at home is more like it. :-( Will the owl chase him out? Or do starlings even manage to trick owls into raising their young? |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
uh-oh.
A starling. Now your troubles are just getting started. |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| Well tonight my neighbor came over and said he saw a little owl perched right below the box. It was gone when I went out, but I'm hoping to see it soon! |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| I also have a screech owl box, but I am not sure how for up to put it. What are the ideal conditions for locating a screech owl box? |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
Hmmmm...michelle 1, I'm not sure about what the bird people will advise. It might depend on where you live, what your immediate environment is, and so on. I'd check with a conservation official near you, or check online.
Our three boxes were about 20-25 feet above ground level, but the "duck box" I know of that actually had an owl brood in it was not much above 6 feet.
Someone on here will know.... |
RE: Owl Box, but no owl...
| | |
| I saw it! I saw it! Finally that little owl has made his big appearance! :-) Michele - the instructions I've read for the screech owl box say anywhere from 10' up to 25' off the ground. Mine is about 10' up. |
|
|
|
|
