Nest containers for tawny owls
Every year tawny owls nest in my backyard in containers constructed particularly for them. Through the years I’ve realized what kind of field fits this owl species and the place greatest to place one. Learn on for my tips about constructing a nest field for a tawny owl.
The place to website a tawny owl field
Earlier than you set about constructing a nest field, it’s essential take into consideration the place it’ll go. Attracting a tawny owl right into a nest field is determined by a number of components: the provision of pure nest websites in your space and the obtainable habitat and prey. Tawny owls reside in wooded or partially wooded areas; you even get them in giant gardens and parks in cities and cities and consequently their nest containers must be sited in a coppice or wooden in a deciduous tree. Folks typically make the error of placing owl containers up the place they will get a very good view of the owls. However that’s the very last thing an owl desires.
To make sure breeding success, tawny owls additionally have to really feel protected. They’re much extra inclined to disturbance round their nest website than barn owls.
Bins needs to be close to looking grounds
In contrast to barn owls, that are area of interest feeders and must be near tough grasslands the place they hunt for small rodents, tawny owls feed on all kinds of prey and can take something from small rodents to rabbits so your choices relating to selecting a website for a field are wider. It’s at all times a good suggestion to place up a field if you realize you have already got tawny owls within the space. Pay attention out for his or her calls at evening and search for their white droppings for clues.
Away from wind and harsh solar
Their nests needs to be out of prevailing winds, so face yours southeast. It must be at the least three metres off the bottom with branches close by for fledgling chicks. These kids discover the world outdoors their nests by hopping alongside the branches lengthy earlier than they will fly. This behaviour is named ‘branching’.
Ideally, a tawny owl field additionally must out of the complete solar, though many of the yr this isn’t an excessive amount of of a fear since tawny chicks have typically fledged earlier than the climate will get too heat. And the field must be sheltered to keep away from being uncovered to heavy rain.
Finest field dimension
I’ve seen that designs of business tawny owl containers, or containers instructed by charities, supply too small a nesting house. These are often simply 25cm sq. on the base, however I like to recommend a base that’s at the least 30cm x 35cm. Though tawny owls desire a smaller nesting cavity than barn owls, the areas inside most containers available on the market are often too small for the female and male to take a seat collectively in early spring for his or her courtship and later egg-laying. Usually there’s additionally not sufficient house for the adults to feed their chicks. And I’ve seen the dearth of house means they typically land too forcefully onto their eggs or chicks – typically damaging their tails within the course of. There additionally isn’t sufficient house in there for fledgling owls to flap their wings. That is essential for them when it’s time to climb out.
Keep away from tube-shaped containers
There are some tube-shaped containers available on the market. These open on the prime and are designed to be strapped beneath a leaning department. However these additionally current issues for tawny owls since they’re such early nesters the open prime means they get drenched by heavy spring showers and younger chicks can perish. Additionally, in the event that they get too moist, the bottoms of those containers don’t final and sometimes rot.
Although these business containers are designed with tawny owls in thoughts, I’ve discovered that the birds don’t at all times go into their designated containers. In my backyard the owls typically select to nest in containers designed for kestrels, however right here the issue is that their chicks fledge too early as this box-design is straightforward for them to get out of.
Tall sides
It can be crucial {that a} tawny owl nest field is tall, in order that the chicks can not climb out earlier than they’re able to fledge. I make mine at the least 80cms excessive. Tawny owl chicks are notoriously adventurous and also you typically have accidents. As soon as I ended up drying two tawny owl chicks with a hairdryer after they obtained caught in a downpour and have been unable to fly again to security.
Finest field design
I’ve designed my very own tawny owl containers. My containers have a base that’s at the least 30x 35cm and are about 80cm excessive. This provides the owl household room as they develop. I like to make use of outdated tree stumps for my nest containers. These supply the owls a pure gap to nest in and provides me a lovely prop for my work and pictures.
Field fittings
I like to recommend placing two inches of wooden chippings into the underside of a tawny nest field. Tawny owls don’t accumulate nesting materials. They make a nest scrape within the particles that they discover on the backside.
I additionally match cameras and microphones inside my owl containers in order that I can observe the intimate lives of those owls and in addition share these wildlife cameras on-line.
Different species, corresponding to jackdaws and gray squirrels typically colonise owl nest containers and this is usually a actual downside because it deters the owls you are attempting to draw. There is no such thing as a easy resolution to this downside; you simply must filter out the nest field of the bits of twigs that the jackdaws and squirrels put in annually. That’s till you get a resident owl, at which level the owl will chase these intruders away itself – hopefully! This may be tedious, however it’s well worth the effort for the intense winter’s evening once you stroll out into the backyard and listen to the comforting ocarina name of a courting tawny owl!
Artwork inspiration
The next work are portraits of the tawny owls which have lived in my backyard over time and type a part of my assortment of owl artwork prints.
Watchful Tawny Owl, restricted version artwork print
Tawny Owl on Lookout, restricted version artwork print
