Things to think about first ???

Barn Owl numbers have dropped dramatically over the last 80 or so years. from 70,000 breeding pairs in the mid 50's to a startling 5,000 today. YES you read right only 5,000 pairs left out in the wild in Britain !!! If the same trend continues, we will have no Barn Owls out in the wild within the next 15-20 years........we can't let that happen !!!

As the Barn Owl (like most birds of Prey) are very high up on the food chain,  any Human changes that destruct and fragment the habitats and environments of animals at the bottom, invariably affects things at the top.

Reasons for their decline

• Hedgerow destruction and replacement with maintenance free fencing.
  • Great for Modern Farming
  • Bad for Mice and Voles
• Increased Urbanisation.
  • Our towns get bigger
  • Barn Owls towns get smaller
• Farm yard Buildings changed to Rodent Proof Silos/Storage Bins
  • Ideal if you sit behind a desk in a health and safety office !!
  • Not so good if you are a hungry Rodent
  • Get past the Silo did you....try getting into these bins then !!
• Barns/Outbuildings now housing modern farm machinery.
  • Nice shiny new £ 15,000 plough is kept warm and cosy
  • No room at the Inn for Mr & Mrs Barn Owl
• Disused Barns converted to beautiful homes.
  • Barn Conversion (cost £1.2 million ish ??)
  • Barn Owl box for the outside (cost £10 ish).Do the math !!!
• Increase in stocking density of Sheep and greater silage production.
  • Lots of food for Cows and Sheep
  • Grass to short for Barn Owl food to run around in
• Removal of natural Nest sites like hollow old trees.
  • Back to the guys at the health & safety office again !!
  • OK, no one wants a Tree to fall on them (or anybody else) but cum on guys, plant a new one at the same time ??

THE LIST GOES ON, BARN OWLS REALLY DO NEED OUR HELP !

Lets find out if you can help by building your own nest box ?

Do you have the right type of habitat and environment to encourage Barn Owls to use your nest box ?

Barn Owls prey primarily on Short Tail Voles, Field Mice and Shrews. They will hunt at day and at night but usually at first and last light. They can be seen (if your very lucky) hunting reasonably low to the ground along the grassy margins where open fields meet woodland edges. They do not usually hunt in dense woodland.

Barn Owls prefer to breed at altitudes less than 160m (500ft) above sea level. The less Human disturbance the better. They prefer roomy well sheltered places to nest and roost. Wide ledges & wall cavities are ideal but have will nest in Bales of Hay and Natural tree cavities.

Like all Owls, barn owls make no nest but lay their eggs directly on the flat surface they have available. Sometimes this is cushioned by discarded pellets (the regurgitated left overs of a recent meal). Eggs are usually laid in late April - early May. Incubation period is (like most birds) around 30 days (31 to be accurate) and hatch 1 - 3 day apart.

Nest Boxes not only provide suitable nesting sites but can also provide suitable shelter from harsh weather, this is very important if Barn Owls are to be attracted to an area.

Don't worry if you have little or even none of the above ideal habitat or environment available on you doorstep. Barn Owls have been known to travel long distances between hunting grounds and nest sites.

Droppings (long streaks of 'whitewash') and pellets (regurgitated leftovers) about the size of a small human Thumb are tell tale signs of a favorite roosting place.

OK, lets get started with our Box design and build.

There are two main types of Barn Owl Box, Interior and Exterior. Interior Boxes require less elaborate construction as being inside, they are more likely to be protected from the elements. Exterior Boxes have a slightly different design because of the need for greater durability.

 REMEMBER !! Interior Boxes need to have access all the time. An open fronted/sided Barn is ideal, but a window/aperture with come and go access is an absolute must.

Even if your Box does not appeal initially to a Barn Owl looking to get on the property ladder, it may provide shelter for him or her in bad weather conditions !!

General construction tips !

Firstly don't get to hung up on the perfect box design and build of your Barn Owl Box. Take a look at some of the many designs below and you will see that they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which work very well. They may even give you some ideas ??

         With reasonable DIY skills and tools that you can find in the average home, you should be able to construct a usable Barn Owl Box.

Before we give you the plans on building your Barn Owl nest box, we would suggest the following :

1. Use PlyWood 9 - 12mm thickness is ideal.
2. Make sure not to have any sharp edges inside or out.
3. Don't line the inside with anything (Barn Owls do not make soft bedding/nests).
4. Only use water based paint or stain. (Nothing Toxic, read the label) It's OK to paint/stain the inside if you wish.
5. Avoid using glues if you can. If you absolutely have to use solvent free glue.
6. Make a small door on the side/front of the box for access to clean. DO NOT use this door whilst nest box is in use !!!! Wait till young have all fledged each year.
7. When positioning the box, where possible face away from prevailing winds. Position box to face South for maximum sunlight.

If in any doubt please contact us so we can advise on your particular circumstances.

Exterior/Interior Barn Owl Nest Box

This is in our opinion a great nest Box design for Barn Owls. You can use roofing felt to line the roof for extra protection. This design is ideal for both outside and inside placement.

Consider how you are going to fix the box in position ? If you are fixing to a tree then a couple of steel screws/nails are fine (they wont damage the tree to much). But don't go mad.

You can screw/nail the box to the tree by using the Barn Owl entrance (thats the 120mm square thingy at the top) and the inspection hatch (the one for cleaning) for access.

If you are mounting the box to the outside/inside of a wall, then we recommend that the box be mounted on a wall plate first, then mount the wall plate to the wall. Always uses suitable wall fixings.

Interior Barn Owl Box fixed to a Horizontal Beam.

Don't forget that just because you have built a nest box for a Barn Owl, it may be that other Owls may like it so much that they take up residence !!! This has been known.

The most important thing that you can do once your nest box is built and fixed in place is to let us know !! Send us some pictures of the box and let us know when Owls take up your offer of a new safe home to raise their young.

DONT FORGET THAT FOR EACH BOX THAT IS BUILT, MOM, DAD & MAYBE FIVE YOUNGSTERS WILL BE SAVED EACH YEAR.

IT REALLY IS WORTH IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSERVATION EFFORTS, IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Good luck and have fun !!

Disclaimer : The information contained on this website is intended for information only. Heart of England Raptors will not accept any liability for injury that results from individuals who construct and fix their own nest boxes.