Owls can nest in many different ways. Many species, like great horned and great gray the owl, reside in old nests of hawks and squirrels. Other species, like the short-eared owl and snowy owl, build nests upon the floor. The burrowing owl is found in the old burrows of mammal species. Many owls have nests in cavities in trees.
Owls are skilled hunters but nest builders aren’t. Many owls profit from the work of other animals, rather than creating their own nests.
Certain owls, such as Great Horned Owls, build empty nests within trees, or on the cliffs constructed by crows, hawks magpies, or other birds. A lot of owls build nests in cavities, also known as holes or hollows in trees. The cavities in trees are natural but are typically caused by woodpeckers. Elf Owls have nests in saguaro Cacti, in which woodpeckers are able to make holes.
Scientists believe male owls establish and announce territories, however female owls choose the nesting sites. Together, the pair of owls protect their nest. The nesting area will be the home of the family of owls for a few months.
Owl Species Nesting Technique
- Barn Owls usually nest on the roofs of barns in silos or empty buildings or in caves on the cliffs.
- Burrowing Owls fulfill their name by nesting within tunnels in the ground that were created by ground squirrels, badgers, prairie dogs, or other animals that burrow.
- Certain Burrowing Owls utilize their feet and bill to dig burrows for themselves.
- Short-eared Owls and Snowy Owls “build” simple nests by scraping the bottom of a shallow bowl onto the ground.
Nesting Sites Of Owls :
- Smaller species of owls that are more likely to live in gardens and yards may also have large nest boxes placed between 10 and 20 feet above the surface of a huge tree. Barn owls might also make use of abandoned structures for nesting leaving a barn or shed unlocked for birds to enter can make an ideal location to raise a brood owlets.
- The nesting boxes of owls must be set up by the end of January or February because they nest earlier than other species in the backyard. The boxes must be watched to ensure that they are free of rodents, wasps, squirrels and raccoons as well as other animals or visitors which may deter nesting Owls from nesting.
