The Power of a Perch - Nest Box Experiences Part 3

You can enhance the chances of attracting Screech Owls to your nest box  by using bird feeding stations in your yard that make good perches for the owls and other creatures.  We use two Gardman USA Wild Bird Feeding Kits that are very good as a bird feeding station and absolutely outstanding as sturdy perches. The only weakness is the pole that comes with the kit is in 4 sections and its not particularly strong or long-lasting, but we use 7ft pieces of copper plumbing pipe that makes the total kit quite strong and attractive. Its the hardware that comes with the kit that is the best part. It has held up quite well. Its sometimes hard to find this exact  kit but for now its still available through Amazon. Gardman makes another slightly different Deluxe feeding station that is  probably just as good.

We had a serious problem with squirrels climbing all over the feeders, but found the Woodlink 18" Squirrel Baffle did the trick in stopping them from ruining bird watching. The YouTube video below is a test we did a few months ago. This type of baffle could also be used to keep squirrels out of your Screech Owl box is it was on a sturdy galvanized metal pole. You may be able to find one for use on 4x4 wood posts, but if it doesn't swivel like this one the squirrels may well defeat it.

                                                              

These are the exact products used in the video above. We don't link unless we own and use it!!

Flyways to perch and nestbox

The second Gardman unit is used as a perch just for the owl box and creates a safe flyway pattern between heavy brush cover and the nest box,  making the box more attractive to the owls as well as serving as a great hunting perch at night. It is very common to see them sitting there and catching large bugs and lizards in the backyard grass which is pesticide free. It is also where they would meet during mating season and was no doubt a plus in selling the "house" to the female screech owl. Its all about neighborhood, neighborhood neighborhood.

Red Shouldered Hawk

Of course the twin perches will be generally attractive to all birds. Its always a rush to see a majestic Red-Shouldered Hawk stop by and perch in the yard.  Occasionally they will take out a Dove sitting on the perch or a snake from the yard. Hawks by day and owls by night!

Dragonfly

The perch is often used as a hunting perch in the daytime by insects such as large wasps and dragonflies. In this picture you can see the owl box in the distance in the lower right. Dragonflies eat an amazing amount of insects alleviating the need for heavy pesticide use.

Dragonfly

Dragonflies use the highest tip for a daytime hunting perch. Perches will attract more birds and are especially attractive to Screech Owls.

It's a Jungle Out There! Nest Box Experiences and Advice Part #2

Screech Owls in our suburban neighborhood have a tough life that typically goes unseen by humans. Their biggest challenge is to find a good nesting site each winter - habitat loss of old growth trees and dead trees most likely to have suitable nesting cavities is a big factor in Screech Owl decline in some areas. But finding a suitable nesting cavity is just the start of a perilous journey to reproduce. There is competition and danger! A nesting cavity in a tree is easily accessible by a wide variety of other creatures.The following pictures were taken in our backyard in the past year. These first five want to eat the eggs and/or owlets:

Florida Corn or Red Rat Snake

Invasive Monitor Lizard

Red Shouldered Hawk 

Rats in the Nest Box!!

Raccoons

Rats also want the nest box for themselves, these are not big-city rats. They live in trees, especially Palmetto Trees and waterways everywhere - you just never see them at night. They suffer about a 90% mortality rate each year and they desperately want a place to hide in the daytime and an unoccupied nestbox is perfect. They can displace the owls or eat the eggs or small owlets in an unguarded moment - not to mention they make a mess of the box when they move in. The irony is that the beautiful and docile constrictor the Red "Rat" snake is often killed by homeowners when seen - think about that if you don't like rats - this 4-5 foot rat snake looks very well-fed. Large predatory lizards and Raccoons like to hang out in trees, and I haven't include pictures of cats either feral or pets without bells on their collars. Big hawks like this Red-Shouldered variety hang out in the same trees and the smaller Kestrels compete for the same nesting sites - and at night the great horned owl is a threat to eat its smaller brethren.

Then there are the Africanized Bees and Wasps - and the most dreaded of all - the squirrels - they want the nest box. 

Important tip - If you make your own nest box - don't make it out of white pine from the home store - insects love it - makes great bee hives as bees need a place to live to! Either buy a good cedar wood nest box or make your own nest box out of cedar. Cedar contains a natural insect repellent and looks great as it ages. I have never seen bugs in our Stovall Owl box in two years that weren't brought in by the owls. "Wood Screech Owl Nest Box" (Google Affiliate Ad)

The Dreaded Squirrel

Homemade Pine Nest Box - Africanized Bees Love it!

All things considered one wonders how many Screech Owls are unsuccessful at claiming and defended one of the scarce natural sites. Many owls probably end up using less than desirable nesting sites.  However, there is more to it than just putting out a nest box. One of the biggest challenges is properly locating ones nest box - each site is somewhat unique - there is no set answer. Perfect is not usually attainable, but good enough often is.  More on the challenges we faced, including dealing with squirrels, the arch nemesis of owl nest boxing in Part #3.