Owl box info?

[Kay Schmaier]

Hello Growers!

I’m wondering if any of you have put up barn owl boxes to help manage the gopher, mole & vole populations in your vineyard?  I’d love to hear advice on how close/far to place it from your vineyard, orientation, source of box or if you built it, etc.

So far from my research, it seems the opening hole is best oriented East or Southeast (they like to perch in the sun in the cold AM’s and be shaded from the harsh afternoon sun)… they typically hunt within .5 miles of their nest (but that’s a huge territory so not really helpful to me with my small backyard vineyard)… I’m really wondering how close I can place it to the vineyard as I’ve heard that they won’t hunt directly next to the nest.

Thanks for any info y’all can share!:)

Kay Schmaier

(SchmEderle Heights)

• This topic was modified 3 years ago by Kay Schmaier.

[David Hicks]

Hi Kay.  You’ve got the orientation issue about right re: owls.  Suggest you do research on what type of owls are in your area and select your box accordingly.  I have large white barn owls in Lake County and have had 3 families over about 15 years with the box.  If your owls are like mine and they have more that one egg the first hatched will likely throw the smaller chicks out of the nest, so be prepared for that.  You’re only going to need one boxmand if possible you should place in between any woods or tree area on or near your property but closer to the wooded area.  Most N Cal owls hunt at night and regularly hang out in wooded areas.  Good luck  David Hicks

[Kay Schmaier]

Thanks for sharing your experience, David!  We have barn owls here but that’s all I know so far about them.  I’m trying to figure out how far the owl box needs to be from the vineyard for any potential nesters to be interested in hunting in the vineyard.  I’ve heard they don’t hunt immediately near the box but not sure what perimeter they’d want.