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Making and locating your own owl box...
What to do if you come across an injured raptor...
website updated May 2008
"articles about new arrivals, releases,public submissions and news in the raptor world"
::DULLSTROOM LINKS::
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:: OWL BOXES ::
I am sure that some of you out there in cyberspace would love to be able to attract an owl to your garden.
This is an ideal way to manage the rodents in your garden, the friendly way.
Of course if you have rodents in your garden, you probably have an owl attending your property already, but with out you really being aware of its presence.
You may hear the occasional hooting going on through the night, but in your sleepy state of mind you are not always sure that you have heard correctly.
Wouldn't it be nice to know for sure?
One of our most frequently asked questions during our daily demonstrations is about attracting owls and birds of prey into their gardens.
Diurnal (Daytime) birds of prey are quite easy; if you have a bird table feeding the small birds like doves, bulbuls, shrikes etc this on its own will attract birds like African Goshawks, Ovambo Sparrowhawks, and Black Sparrowhawks.
To attract owls on the other hand, you don't need to introduce the food, as it should already be there.
What you need to do is provide accommodation.
You can do this in the form of an owl-breeding box.
Most owls other than ground nesting owls are always looking for old nests to take over or a nest site in the form of shelter, whether it be in a hole in a tree or an old building or a ledge on a cliff face.
Two species that especially like the owl boxes are Spotted Eagle Owls and Barn Owls.
If you live in a built up area, the owl that you are most likely to attract is the Spotted Eagle Owl, if you live on a plot or in a rural area the Barn owl could be your welcome visitor.
:: NUISANCE ::
If Barn Owls are already nesting around your property and they are becoming a nuisance because they are too close or due to the noise or the mess they create, you can take steps to help yourselves relocate them incoming years.
After the problem year, make sure that your unwelcome guests are gone, this is very important. Then block up the hole that they were entering, again making sure that it is completely empty, be especially careful that there are no eggs inside.
Should you want to keep the owls on your property, you can then immediately put up an Owl breeding box at a different suitable location on your property. In this way you can still benefit from the pleasures of having owls on you property.
:: MAKING AN OWL BOX ::
African Fish Eagle
Rock Kestrel
Jackal Buzzard
