The Hungry Owl Project
The mission of the hungry owl project is to decrease the need for rodenticides and other poisons by conserving habitats, building owl boxes, and educating others. Rodenticides are poisons used to kill rodents, but that’s not the only thing they kill. In 2012, 79.1% of raptors (owls, hawks, etc) tested positive for secondary rodenticide poisoning when tested at Wildcare ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). Rodenticides are very expensive and destructive to wildlife, and provide a “very slow and horrific death for rodents” that may take days after ingestion to work ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). When rodents become filled with rodenticides, they become much slower, therefore making it easier for predators to catch them ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). When these predators eat the rodents, they are also filled with the poison, which is very dangerous ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control").
An eco-friendly alternative to using rodenticides is using owls. An entire family of barn owls can eat up to 3,000 rodents in a 4-month breeding cycle, and 6,000-9,000 a year ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). By installing owl boxes, this will bring more owls to your property and help naturally control the rodent population. It works best with multiple boxes, as owls are willing to hunt around other boxes since they’re not territorial ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). It is also the most effective with larger properties, since owls usually hunt father from their own boxes ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control").
When making an owl box, there is a lot one needs to know before actually building. First things first, it is important to know how many boxes are needed for a certain area. For areas that are two acres or below, only 1-3 boxes are required ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). For medium-sized properties (3-10 acres), 2-6 boxes are acceptable ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). For very large properties, five boxes should be installed for every ten acres ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). If the owl population becomes noticeably larger, more boxes should be built.
The next thing to think about is a safe location for the boxes. Of course they should be put in an owl-populated location, but there are many other factors to think about before hanging up the boxes. The most important thing is that the property housing the owl boxes needs to be kept clear of any rodenticides, as a single poisoned rodent can wipe out an entire owl family. ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). “If rodenticides have been in use on the property, boxes can be installed with a minimum of 3 months since the last use” ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes").
Try and make sure that the box is in a relatively open space so it is easier for the owls to find ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). Open fields or urban areas work best- try to avoid heavily wooded areas ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). That being said, make sure the boxes stay at least 100 feet away from any bedrooms because an owl’s hoot can be very annoying to somebody trying to sleep ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes").
It is true that owls are commonly found in trees, but one shouldn’t always put your box in a tree. Studies have shown that owls occupy post boxes much easier and faster ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). They also can keep younger owls safer from predators. It’s good to have flat ground in front of the post so it’s easier to clean out the box ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). In addition, it’s important to have a tree nearby so fledglings can fly to it, but not so close that predators can get in ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes").
On the other hand, if a person decides to put their box in a tree, there is a lot of information they need to know in order to keep these owls safe. It’s tricky to make a tree box, but definitely not impossible. The tree should be as vertical as possible and very strong so it can hold up the box adequately ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). The box should be placed about 10 feet off the ground, and 5-10 feet from anything that would act as easy access for predators ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes").
There are many more factors to think about when choosing the location for an owl box. One of these is to avoid facing the box southwest because that will shine the afternoon sun in the owl’s eyes when in the box ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). If the box is in exposed areas, it should be lightly colored so it can reflect heat better ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). To make a box nicer for the owls to be in, one could use a sunroof or shade panel ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). Also, areas with owl boxes should be far enough away from any potential disturbing noises (roads or highways) because no owls will want to stay in that box ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). Remember to never peek into an owl box, but one could install a camera and see what the owls do inside ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). Also, never install power lines or utility poles near a box because this can kill the owls if something goes wrong ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). In addition, it’s important to keep the box away from water, as fledglings would be in danger of drowning. Finally, remember to clean the box annually.
Works Cited
"Non-Toxic Rodent Control". The Hungry Owl Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 June 2015.
http://www.hungryowl.org/nesting_boxes/nontoxic.html
"Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes". The Hungry Owl Project. N.p., n.d. Web.
03 June 2015. http://www.hungryowl.org/nesting_boxes/barnowl_where.html
"Nest Box Plan." Nest Box Plan. BioWeb, n.d. Web. 03 June 2015.
http://www.bioweb.uncc.edu/bierregaard/BDOW/nest_box_plan.htm
An eco-friendly alternative to using rodenticides is using owls. An entire family of barn owls can eat up to 3,000 rodents in a 4-month breeding cycle, and 6,000-9,000 a year ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). By installing owl boxes, this will bring more owls to your property and help naturally control the rodent population. It works best with multiple boxes, as owls are willing to hunt around other boxes since they’re not territorial ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). It is also the most effective with larger properties, since owls usually hunt father from their own boxes ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control").
When making an owl box, there is a lot one needs to know before actually building. First things first, it is important to know how many boxes are needed for a certain area. For areas that are two acres or below, only 1-3 boxes are required ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). For medium-sized properties (3-10 acres), 2-6 boxes are acceptable ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). For very large properties, five boxes should be installed for every ten acres ("Non-Toxic Rodent Control"). If the owl population becomes noticeably larger, more boxes should be built.
The next thing to think about is a safe location for the boxes. Of course they should be put in an owl-populated location, but there are many other factors to think about before hanging up the boxes. The most important thing is that the property housing the owl boxes needs to be kept clear of any rodenticides, as a single poisoned rodent can wipe out an entire owl family. ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). “If rodenticides have been in use on the property, boxes can be installed with a minimum of 3 months since the last use” ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes").
Try and make sure that the box is in a relatively open space so it is easier for the owls to find ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). Open fields or urban areas work best- try to avoid heavily wooded areas ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). That being said, make sure the boxes stay at least 100 feet away from any bedrooms because an owl’s hoot can be very annoying to somebody trying to sleep ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes").
It is true that owls are commonly found in trees, but one shouldn’t always put your box in a tree. Studies have shown that owls occupy post boxes much easier and faster ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). They also can keep younger owls safer from predators. It’s good to have flat ground in front of the post so it’s easier to clean out the box ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). In addition, it’s important to have a tree nearby so fledglings can fly to it, but not so close that predators can get in ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes").
On the other hand, if a person decides to put their box in a tree, there is a lot of information they need to know in order to keep these owls safe. It’s tricky to make a tree box, but definitely not impossible. The tree should be as vertical as possible and very strong so it can hold up the box adequately ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). The box should be placed about 10 feet off the ground, and 5-10 feet from anything that would act as easy access for predators ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes").
There are many more factors to think about when choosing the location for an owl box. One of these is to avoid facing the box southwest because that will shine the afternoon sun in the owl’s eyes when in the box ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). If the box is in exposed areas, it should be lightly colored so it can reflect heat better ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). To make a box nicer for the owls to be in, one could use a sunroof or shade panel ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). Also, areas with owl boxes should be far enough away from any potential disturbing noises (roads or highways) because no owls will want to stay in that box ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). Remember to never peek into an owl box, but one could install a camera and see what the owls do inside ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). Also, never install power lines or utility poles near a box because this can kill the owls if something goes wrong ("Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes"). In addition, it’s important to keep the box away from water, as fledglings would be in danger of drowning. Finally, remember to clean the box annually.
Works Cited
"Non-Toxic Rodent Control". The Hungry Owl Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 June 2015.
http://www.hungryowl.org/nesting_boxes/nontoxic.html
"Selecting Safe Installation Sites- For Owl Boxes". The Hungry Owl Project. N.p., n.d. Web.
03 June 2015. http://www.hungryowl.org/nesting_boxes/barnowl_where.html
"Nest Box Plan." Nest Box Plan. BioWeb, n.d. Web. 03 June 2015.
http://www.bioweb.uncc.edu/bierregaard/BDOW/nest_box_plan.htm