Last weekend, we visited Wild Birds Unlimited to see about getting a better home for the guy out front. We got a hanging birdhouse, but on the way out we noticed some pictures of owls looking out of boxes.
“Whoa!” I exclaimed. “You can get owl houses?!?”
The store manager nodded and pointed to the owl nest boxes above the counter. I learned that the eastern screech owl lives in these parts, and that they eat mostly bugs, spiders and small mice. My wife and I looked at the picture and quickly decided that a home isn’t a home without some owls.
Getting it mounted in the tree was a bit of a challenge requiring a ladder and some contortions, but it’s there now. Hopefully some homeless owl will stumble on it. If not, I’m sure the squirrels will enjoy it.
While searching for screech owl info, I came upon Chris’ Eastern Screech Owl Nest Box Cam, a site dedicated to the goings on in a nest box here in Austin that’s been tricked out with cameras and other gadgetry.
Mine’s just a box, so hopefully a few Austin owls won’t mind living in something so archaic.
Incidentally, the title of this post refers to Owl’s house in The House at Pooh Corner. Owl, you’ll remember, spells his name W-O-L, but has a great deal of trouble with more difficult words like measles and buttered toast.
10 Comments | Filed under: backyard wildlife and birds | Tagged: owls
I didn’t know they made owl homes. Keep us posted on who moves in!
Yuo can always try to catch an owl with a plastic bag attached to a broomhandle and then put the owl up in the box….
Good luck, James. I never thought about it, but now I’m convinced that a house isn’t a home without some owls.
Thanks, Mike. So far no owls, but we’re still keeping our talons crossed.
Do the owls have large talons?
I really don’t know. They’re fairly small owls, though. Of course, we don’t have any yet, but when (if) we do, I’ll post some pictures.