Attracting owls offers homeowners natural pest management and a captivating connection to the wild ecosystem. This requires strategically modifying the environment to meet their distinct needs. The process involves creating safe, reliable habitat and ensuring a steady, uncontaminated food supply, transforming a typical yard into a welcoming territory for various owl species.
Designing Roosting and Nesting Habitat
Owls need sheltered, quiet spaces to spend their days, as they are primarily nocturnal hunters. Mature trees with dense canopies provide the best daytime cover, particularly evergreens and conifers, which offer year-round protection from weather and visual cover from smaller, harassing birds. Look for trees that offer large, horizontal limbs or natural cavities, as these features are highly desirable for roosting and perching before a night’s hunt.
For nesting, many owls readily use artificial nest boxes, especially if natural tree cavities are scarce. Box dimensions must be scaled appropriately for the target species; for instance, Barn Owl boxes require a depth of at least 16 inches to keep young owlets safe inside. Boxes should be mounted high, generally 12 to 15 feet off the ground, and oriented away from the harshest afternoon sun and prevailing winds.
While owls get sufficient water from their prey, a consistently maintained bird bath or pond may be used for bathing, particularly by nesting females.
Establishing a Sustainable Food Web
The most direct way to attract owls is to support the small mammal populations that make up their primary diet, such as voles, shrews, and mice. Designate areas of the yard for rough, tall grass and undisturbed brush piles, which provide excellent cover and breeding grounds for these rodents. A robust and reliable prey base is the single strongest incentive for an owl to establish a territory.
Managing the location of the rodent population is also important, particularly by securing common food sources that might attract them close to the house. Store bird seed, pet food, and garbage in containers with tight-fitting metal lids that rodents cannot chew through. This strategy encourages prey to forage in safer, less-trafficked areas of the yard where owls prefer to hunt.
The single most important food web practice is the complete elimination of all rodenticides, particularly anticoagulant rat poisons. Owls and other raptors suffer severe secondary poisoning when they consume disoriented, poisoned prey. A Barn Owl family can consume thousands of rodents during a breeding season, making them highly susceptible to accumulating lethal chemical doses.
Eliminating Common Yard Hazards
Chemical hazards extend beyond rodenticides to general pesticides and herbicides, which should also be eliminated. Widespread use of insecticides, such as neonicotinoids, can decimate the insect populations that serve as prey for smaller owl species, ultimately reducing the available food supply. These chemicals can also lead to sublethal effects in owls, including disorientation and reduced nesting success, through bioaccumulation in the food chain.
Minimize the use of constant, bright outdoor lighting, as light pollution disrupts the nocturnal hunting patterns of owls. Consider replacing permanent fixtures with motion-sensor lighting, which provides security for humans while preserving the necessary darkness for the owl’s silent, low-light hunting. Artificial light can cause prey to change their behavior, making hunting less efficient for the owl.
Physical structures in the yard pose a risk to flying owls, whose soft flight feathers can easily become snagged. Barbed wire fences and thin wire fencing are a particular danger, as owls hunting low to the ground can collide and become entangled, often resulting in severe wing injuries. Netting used to protect fruit trees or berries should also be removed or secured tightly to prevent owls from becoming trapped.
Owls can drown in deep, man-made water containers because their flight feathers absorb water quickly, leading to waterlogging. Ensure that rain barrels, troughs, and swimming pools have a simple escape route, such as a floating ramp or a piece of wood, to allow any grounded owl to climb out.
Keep domestic pets, especially cats and small dogs, indoors or closely supervised at night. Pets can disturb or injure owls, particularly vulnerable fledglings practicing flight on the ground.