Want to have an owl nest in your backyard? It’s time to start to thinking about building a nesting box for your backyard.
Surprisingly, winter is the best time to put up an owl nesting box. You could put one up anytime of the year, but owls look for winter roosting sites and they nest earlier in the year than most species. Great horned owls can nest as early as January, according to Mark Faherty, Science Coordinator for Massachusetts Audubon Cape Cod.
“They are big and they have a really long nesting cycle,” Faherty told the Times on Dec. 20. “They start early because it takes a long time for their chicks to grow and get to the point where they can fly on their own.”
New England owls range from eight to 23 inches, according to the National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England. The Northern saw-whet owl stands eight inches tall; the great horned owl is about 23 inches tall. The snowy owl, an Arctic white 24-inch tall bird, can be a winter visitor to the Cape, but they don’t breed in this area.
Barred owls are not on the Cape in large numbers but they are becoming established in the upper and mid-Cape region, Faherty said. The 21-inch birds have grown in population over the last 20 years, seeking out forested lands where they live.
Swamps, woods, marshes, farms and grasslands
These owls, depending on the species, live in swamps, woods, marshes, farms and grasslands. Lucky birders might find a snowy owl on any of the Cape beaches or near airports. Some short-eared owls breed on islands off Cape Cod, according to Audubon.
Some roost in winter evergreens and dense conifers (saw-whet). Great horned owls like the woods. Short-eared owls prefer open grasslands. These habitats can be found on the six Audubon sanctuaries on the Cape.
It’s easier to see the birds now that leaves are off the trees, and it’s easier to hear them because they are louder and more vocal during breeding season, according to Cheryl Lebedevitch, regional communications and marketing specialist for Audubon Cape Cod.
What owls benefit from nesting boxes?
A nesting box isn’t right for every owl. Great horned owls prefer trees because their nests are so big. Small and medium sized owls, such as the screech owl and the barn owl, are better fits for nesting boxes.
Eastern screech owls are common on the Cape, Faherty said. They like to roost in nest boxes or tree cavities during the day.
Barn owls have been found nesting on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. The state protected species has set up nest sites in Falmouth and Yarmouth, Faherty said. The 15-inch birds like to nest in derelict buildings and barns.
Why are owl boxes important?
Natural cavities in trees are in high demand, ornithologist Allisyn-Marie Gillet told the USA Today Network in 2023. Not only do owls use these spaces, but so do other animals such as squirrels and raccoons — which means they face competition for space to roost but also to lay their eggs.
Owls and other raptors are important parts of the ecosystem, Gillet said. Properly built and installed nest boxes provide owls with a safe place to raise their young and keeps other mammals from causing harm. These boxes also are used as a winter roost to help owls survive harsh weather conditions.
The boxes need to be made according to the cavity requirements of the species — “Not all cavities in trees are created equal,” Gillet said. Boxes for Eastern screech owls need to be much smaller than the barred owl, for example.
To find more specific details, here are the instructions for the barn owl, barred owl and Eastern screech owl nesting boxes.
Where do you put them?
Different species of owls prefer different nest boxes and different locations.
For the Eastern screech owl, the boxes should be placed on a live tree or a pole anywhere between 10 to 30 feet above the ground. It’s recommended the box be placed under a tree limb at the woodland edge with adjacent fields or wetlands. This could be in your yard if you have a nearby park or open area.
The boxes for the barred owl, however, need be only 12 to 15 feet above the ground, also attached to a live tree or a post. These bird prefers to have the boxes more within a wooded area, but located within 200 feet of water, if possible.
Barn owls, as the name suggests, often prefer open habitats like agricultural fields, which is why their boxes are often located on the sides of barns. It’s recommended these boxes are placed between 10 to 25 feet above the ground. The nest boxes can be placed in a variety of structures, including barns, silos, granaries, grain elevators, and church steeples, or mounted on a free-standing pole.
How do you attract an owl to your yard?
You’ve put up the owl box, but how do you get an owl to use it. Here are a few tips.
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Keep a brush pile: A brush pile with materials such as grass trimmings, sticks, old leaves, and other natural matter is perfect habitat for small rodents such as mice, voles, gophers, ground squirrels, chipmunks. These little guys are the perfect food source for owls so if they’re running around your yard, you are more likely to have owls.
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Dim the lights: Owls operate in the dark, so if you’re leaving porch lights or a set of string lights on all night, that’s less than ideal. Keep the lights off and you’re more likely to have an owl move in.
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Keep large branches on trees: Good perches give owls a reason to stick around. Leaving large branches or even standing dead trees will give them places to hang out.
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Do not use rodenticides to rid property of rodents. Owls are prolific rodent eaters, Faherty said. They’ll eat the small creatures and the rodenticide chemicals will find their way into the owls and cause them to hemorrhage and die.
Owls are elusive but a good way to learn about them – and perhaps catch a glimpse of one – is to join an “owl prowl” offered at the Wellfleet Audubon Sanctuary. Experienced naturalists lead walks at dusk to search for great horned and Eastern screech owls. The next prowl is Jan. 24.
The sanctuary will also offer a Full Moon Exploration on Jan. 13 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. It could be another chance to see an owl.
Denise Coffey writes about business, tourism and issues impacting the Cape’s residents and visitors. Contact her at dcoffey@capecodonline.com .
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Want owls in your yard? Here’s how to attract them with an owl box
