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The Barn Owl is a very beautiful and interesting bird. Over many centuries, the barn owl was found everywhere around the world with the exception of high Latitudes. In Britain, the Barn Owl inhabited every village church and barn. Farmers and ranchers love the presence of the owls because they control the rodent population better than any traps, poison, or cats, and at no cost.

They do such a good job that they have even been introduced into some Pacific islands for rat control. A young owl can consume a dozen mice per night and adults will eat one large rat or gopher each night. It has been found that Barn Owls consume twice as much food for their weight as other owls.

Now, however, the population of the Barn Owl in Britain and around the world has severely decreased. They are now so rare that they have special protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which says that it is an offence to intentionally disturb these birds while they are preparing to nest or during the process of breeding. Their decline is due to many factors. One is because of the persistent use of insecticides, pesticides and rodenticides. Also, many nest-sites in trees and buildings have been lost, due to disease in trees and freak storms. But, the greatest impact on the Barn Owl’s decline has been the demise of their natural breeding and hunting ground, long grassed meadows. As the meadows disappear, so do the Short-tailed Field Vole, which is the primary food of the Barn Owl.

Strides are being made to help the Barn Owl. Along with the Wildlife and Countryside Act, there is the Owl Rehabilitation Research Foundation, and various conservation movements, which have implemented projects to breed and release prey for the Barn Owls. Chevron has even done their part in helping the Barn Owl. Near Taft, a crew was dismantling a pumping unit when they discovered a mother Barn Owl and her nest. The crew halted work and two months later, after the eggs had hatched and the owls had departed, they resumed work.

What is interesting about the Barn Owls nests are that they actually never make them. They find cavities in trees and buildings, cavities in cliffs and cut banks, stacked hay bales and in palm trees. But, because the breeding season is so long, by the time the eggs are laid, there is often a soft bed of pellets and feathers. Additionally, many farmers and ranchers build nest boxes to encourage the Barn Owls to live on their land as rodent control. Read on to see how you can make a nest box.