Owls are nocturnal birds of prey that can be extremely helpful when it comes to controlling rodent populations in a natural way. That is of course if you can attract them to your property by creating an owl-friendly habitat. So keep reading to find out how to attract owls to your yard.
Why Attract Owls To Your Property
Owls happen to feed on many of the same animals that homeowners consider pests. This includes rodents such as mice, shrews, voles, moles, and rats. In fact, it is estimated that a single family of owls can consume several thousand rodents in a single nesting season. Insects and snakes are also on the menu. Larger owls such as great horned owls will also take bigger size pests such as rabbits, skunks, opossums, and even on occasion raccoons.
If you are able to attract owls to your yard or property they will therefore provide a free nightly pest control service that helps to maintain the food chain and doesn’t rely on dangerous chemicals, baits, or traps. This can be a huge help in both suburban areas and of course agricultural ones where vermin populations can negatively impact the livelihood of farmers.
What Habitats Do Owls Prefer?
Not every yard or property will be able to attract owls. That’s because owls prefer quiet and unfrequented areas with many trees. This allows them to build nests and safely rest during the day. Open grassy areas that hold prey, brush piles, and thickets also make for owl-friendly habitats.
Attract Prey
Owls feed heavily on rodents and without a food source, it’s unlikely owls will take up residence in your yard. Therefore even though it may seem counterintuitive, you will want to attract rodents to your property.
This can be done by providing food such as corn and grain. You will want to refrain from mowing your lawn on a regular basis as well. Unlike a well-manicured lawn, longer grass will help to provide a habitat for prey animals and they will be more confident traveling through it as they won’t feel as exposed.
Add Perches
When hunting, owls will rest on a horizontal perch. They will sit on the perch and wait for prey to appear below. And when it does they will swoop down and attack. If you don’t have any branches or stumps in your yard you can create a perch by adding a fencepost or pole and nailing a cross board horizontally to it. Multiple posts can be placed every few hundred feet.
Provide Water
Owls need access to clean water. If you are lucky enough to live in close proximity to a natural body of water you will not need to provide water for them. If you don’t you will need to add a water source such as a bird bath so they can both drink and bathe. Keep in mind because owls are larger than other birds, the bird bath should be both relatively large and deep.
Install An Owl Box
Most owls nest in hollow cavities inside trees or in the case of barn owls in old barns. Adding an owl box (a nest box for owls) to your yard will provide a safe and protected place for owls to nest. To help attract owls to an owl box the design of the box you choose should depend on the owl species you are trying to attract. In general, the box should be installed on a pole, structure, or tree and ideally in a quiet area.
The owl box should be at least 10 to 15 feet off of the ground to help prevent predators from being able to get to owl chicks. The opening of the box should be facing an open area so that the birds can fly out safely. Installing the owl box so that the opening is facing south will help to keep the box warm during the spring nesting period. If you do choose to install multiple boxes be sure to space them out.
Extra Tips
-Bright outdoor flood lights are excellent for lighting up your yard at night, however, owls hunt in the dark. A well-lit yard isn’t suitable for their hunting activities so be sure to either put your lights on a timer or turn them off manually before you go to sleep so that the owls can have time in the darkness to rid your yard of vermin.
-While rodents and other pests can be a major nuisance if you plan on trying to attract owls to your yard be sure not to use any poisons or pesticides on your property. Once ingested these can make their way up the food chain and end up poisoning and killing your local owls as well.
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