Western Screech Owl Nest Boxes
Why mount a western screech owl nest box? Western screech owls are birds of prey that are active at night. They are excellent hunters and great at controlling pests, such as mice! Western screech owls are endangered; there are estimated to be fewer than 250 left in BC. They live in forests found along creeks, rivers and lakes, and nest in natural cavities found in mature deciduous trees. Unfortunately, the forest that these owls like to live in is mostly found in valley bottoms where people have had the biggest impact, and there aren’t many natural cavities left. Putting up a nest box on your property can make up for the loss of their natural habitat and help screech owls return to their historic range.
Where should you put a western screech owl nest box? Nest boxes should be mounted at least 3 meters (10 feet) above the ground in deep shade. Place the box in a secluded area that is far away from busy areas like driveways, sidewalks or playgrounds and other predators, as the owls may feel threatened and defensive. Ensure tree branches or overhanging vegetation is cleared from the nest entrance to allow for a clear flight path. Ideally, the nest box should be mounted in January or February, prior to nesting season, which begins in late March or April.
Western Screech Owl box mounted in a ponderosa pine Photo by Kieran McIntosh
What can you expect to see and hear? The owls may not only use the nest box to nest, but also to ‘roost’, the act of resting and perching. Keep an eye out for them at all times of the year. Clues to indicate the owls are using the nest box may be the presence of feathers or white wash. The best time of day to hear the Western screech owl begins about 30 minutes after sunset. They only screech when agitated; most of their calls consist of mellow whistles and trills. When they are calling for mates, they use a series of hoots getting faster that sounds like a ‘ball bouncing’.
Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society 324 Penticton Ave., Penticton, BC, V2A2M3 Ph: 250-809-1980 Email: okanaganstewardship@gmail.com
What to do if you see or hear a western screech owl: If you do hear their call, record as much information as you can; things like the date, time of sunset and time you heard the call. Do your best to describe the call, whether you hear one or two birds calling, and where on your property you think the owl was; the more details the better but even if the only thing you write down is that you heard an owl call it can still be really great information. Please call or email Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship if you do hear or see western screech owls on your property so that the information gets recorded and biologists can track the recovery of these little owls.
How do you care for a western screech owl nest box?
Western Screech Owl
Annual cleaning is best carried out in the fall (October or November) when the owls are the least likely to be using it and there are no viable eggs or fledglings present. Remove all old nest materials and replace them with a couple of centimeters (1 inch) of dried leaves on the bottom. Always use caution when up a ladder taking care of your owl box and be aware that other species may be using the nest box. It is always best to knock on the side of your nest box before opening it to give occupants a chance to get out. We’ve known squirrels and hornets to come flying out!
Photo by Steve Cannings
References: http://archive.audubonmagazine.org/backyard/backyard0201.html http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wildlife/wsi/reports/4217_WSI_4217_RPT2.PDF http://www.prbo.org/cms/docs/edu/owlboxes.pdf
Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society 324 Penticton Ave., Penticton, BC, V2A2M3 Ph: 250-809-1980 Email: okanaganstewardship@gmail.com