Wildlife: Got one in!, 1 by IRIS

IRIS wrote:
Thankyou Darius :)

Mary, There are different sized boxes for different owls, I have had good luck with the boxes I've made at 10x10 square by 26" high with a 3" oval hole that are 10-12 ft. up in the tree, Drill a few (several) holes (1/4") in the floor for drainage and a few in the side 's of the box (Under the roof) for vetilation. I have had screech owls, wood-ducks, woodpeckers, squirrels, And believe it or not Nuthatches use these box's through out the year. I have noticed that the more worn (weathered) the box is, The more attractive it seems to these birds. I put about 2" of wood chips in the bottom of the box, Though when the squirrels use the box, They bring all kinds of sticks in but the owls dont seem to mind at all, They use it anyway. I placed most the boxes on the edge of the woods and a couple more into the woods. I have one thats placed in a tree by a running brook and thats the one that I get most of the wooducks in ( And owls and everything else too) What I'm trying to say by that is that I only get wooducks in the box thats by the water. Screech owls like to be close to water also because amongst other things they do like to eat fish and crayfish and frogs and such. The box that the owl is in right now is on a tree thats at the edge of the woods in the middle part of my yard. I find that many times birds and animals use boxes that were meant for certain other species, So you'll never know what your going to find when you put different size boxes up lol. I have flying squirrels and normal grey nesting in birdhouses, I have woodpeckers that use bluebird boxes for winter roosts, I have long boxes wth 4 apartments that have had squirrels and nuthatches nesting in it at the same time ect. Lot of very interesting sights when you put a few boxes up. But to get back to where I'm suppose to be~ I find screech owls like there box 10-12ft up ....If you wanted to try an attract Barred Owls, The size would be 12x12square 23" high whith a 3 1/2" radius by 7" wide and that would hav to be 20-30ft up in a living tree that is at least 12" diameter. I'll post some photos later on to show you how mine are placed so you could get some ideas for yours, If I forgot anything that you'd like to know that I might be able to answere, Let me know, I'll be back ~Iris