How to choose the right tree for a Barn Owl box
Nestboxes in buildings are best – if no building is available, an ideal tree for a Barn Owl box is a mature tree with a thick trunk, with a high canopy and few or no low branches.
Choose an isolated tree, in a hedgerow or on a woodland edge. The nestbox needs to be at least 3 metres above ground level, with the entrance hole visible to a passing owl, even when the tree is in full leaf and seen from a distance. There needs to be suitable foraging habitat within a kilometre or 2 – and no major roads.
Barn Owl nestboxes for trees – erecting instructions and free plans.
VISIBILITY OF THE NESTBOX HOLE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS
PERFECT – it’s not in woodland and the box entrance will be visible
GOOD – Scots Pines often have a lovely exposed trunk
GOOD – the nestbox could go where the trunk forks and still be visible
BAD – no exposed trunk (although 5 years after it’s finished dying it could be perfect!)
BAD – a nest box in this tree would be invisible from April to November
GOOD – the canopy does not come down too low
GOOD – this Beech tree has a very high canopy so the nestbox entrance would be highly visible
BAD – Too small and too many low branches, twigs and leaves in summer
BAD – no thicker than an electricity pole (too thin)
GOOD – very high canopy and exposed trunk
BAD – canopy very low , nestbox hole would be invisible
BAD – don’t even think about it!
GOOD – if you choose the side with the best visiblity
OK – if you choose the side facing open ground
GOOD ENOUGH – we erected a nestbox on this one