Friday, April 24, 2009

Little Owls

As gardeners we must always consider the wildlife around us. It's always there whether we are dealing with it trying to destroy our gardens or enjoying it because we have made our little piece of the planet a little better for it.

And retailers are always coming out with new products to get our money because they know we deal with nature or enjoy it. I look at some new products and just have to wonder if it will work or not. Well here's one you don't have to worry about whether it works or not. You can buy these or you can build them with only basic carpenter skills. It is the owl house for the little Screech Owls. My brother-in-law, Michael, built this one several years ago and put it in his back yard. The owls were in it almost immediately and have come back every year since and have raised a brood every year. These pictures were taken with a game camera set in an adjacent tree. This is the same camera I was able to catch photos of the coons that were getting into my bird seed that was in an earlier post.

He sent me a lot of pictures and it appears that Screech Owls just sit at the entrance a lot.

Here you can see one's wing as it flew right in front of the camera.



Here the male has brought a lizard or frog and is tearing it up for the little female.

6 comments:

Jennings said...

Bob,
Thank you so much for these photos. Our neighbors put up an owl house and nobody's occupied it except birds from what we can tell. Maybe the house is too close to their human house.

katina said...

you always get the best wildlife photos!

Bob said...

Jennings; Screech Owls are not leery of humans at all so I imagine no owls have found it yet. Michael has video of the whole family sitting in a wading pool right out side the glass patio door. I have walked to within a few feet of them here at our house.

Katina; I didn't even have to take these. These game cameras are so cool.

Aaron said...

What are the rough dimensions of your owl house? Is that a bedroom wingon the bottom left? What size door dod you put in it. I would like to build one and would appreciate any guidance you have. Thanks!

Chandramouli S said...

How sweet to have owls in your backyard! Awesome shots. I should soon build a small birdhouse for the warblers/wrens here too. Thank you for the inspiration.

Bob said...

Aaron, my brother in law built the house. He said he found the plans on the internet.