Barn owls are beautiful and dedicated to keeping your local rodent population in check. It doesn’t matter what kinds of materials your building is made of or if there is a lot of activity, barn owls can adapt to this if there is a safe place for them to nest and a ready supply of food and water.
In order to attract barn owls, the owl box must be placed at least 4 meters high with an entrance that is 3 meters above the ground and faces open countryside, ideally grasslands where hunting is easy.
The barn owls will be on the lookout for an opening or a hole, not a box, so make sure the entrance is visible. Owls generally prefer nesting inside a building or a tree where they can benefit from the additional shelter. A spot in a roof or attic or an established tree is better than placing the box on the outside of a building. Don’t place the box within 1km of a busy road to avoid road deaths.
Materials
Your barn owl box should be built using 9mm FSC-approved plywood and 50 x 25mm batten. You can use glue or screws to secure the box. This plan comes courtesy of the UK Barn Owl Trust
Barn owl box maintenance
Clean out the box if there is more than 75mm of nest debris (about every 2-3 years). Wear gloves and a mark, especially f the box is inhabited by other bird species. Ensure that there are no eggs or owlettes in the nest (November to January is your best bet).
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