Raptors play a critical role in the environment and the ecosystem. They are very efficient at controlling rodents such as voles, mice and rats. A single pair of barn owls can consume up to 2000 rodents each year! Urban sprawl, habitat destruction and the loss of open habitats threaten many raptor populations in the central valley. Since the mid 1980s over 250,000 acres of central valley grasslands have been lost. Rodenticides have been used to reduce the rodent populations on farms, which can cause secondary poisoning to the raptor. Installing a nest box on your property is an ideal way to provide safe alternatives for nesting and hunting sites, to encourage population growth for raptors and to learn about these magnificent birds.
Other nest box instructions
Build Your Own Owl Box - Suggested Design
Purchase a Box - Suggested Retailer
Kestrel Box (pdf)
The City of Davis Public Works Department accepts donated barn owl nest boxes and installs them in a suitable city-owned tree near the donor's residence.