Date: 2/13/25 4:36 am From: Alfred Maley <alfredmaley...> Subject: [NHBirds] Bird Notes from Old Iberia - Owl Box Recycled
If you build a nest box with quality materials and things don’t work out as
hoped, you can often recycle the materials and try a different tack. Nearly
20 years ago I built a Barn Owl nest box to bring to the farm in Spain. The
box was erected in a eucalyptus tree with great hopes, but they were never
realized. I have never heard or seen a Barn Owl on the farm, although they
used to occur.
A Little Owl thought it would be to his liking, but he was evicted by a
pair of Eurasian Kestrels. The kestrels have nested there ever since,
despite the box having no bedding material on its floor (Barn Owls were
supposed to litter the floor with pellets.)
Because the box was higher than it needed to be and difficult to access, we
decided to take it down and repurpose it - two kestrel boxes were made out
of the p.t. plywood (in very good condition) and erected in suitable
locations. At least one of them has been used by kestrels and the other’s
occupants, if any, are unknown. Little Owls are known to use a box like
these. A couple of tiny pictures show more details.
