5 Simple & Proven Ways To Attract Owls To Your Yard

  • Reading time:12 mins read
  • Post last modified:October 3, 2023

Barn owl sitting in backyard

How To Attract Owls To Your Yard?

Offering nest box to owls is the best way to attract them to your yard. The birds depend upon nesting boxes and do not create their nests so that they can get a home and a place to stay.

You can consider adding a water source, perching spots, large branches or trees, and low lights in your yard to encourage owls to visit your yard once.

Owls are widely distributed and can be found all over the world, but still many species of owls are relatively rare. There are several benefits of keeping owls in your yards, such as they help you in keeping the mice, rodents, and insect population away from your yard and home.

In this article, you will find some important tips to attract owls to your yard.

1. Owl Loves Nesting Box

A nesting box is most essential for owls because they do not create their own nest and depend upon a nesting box to live. However, some owls also live in a hollow tree, but the nesting box is the perfect place for them to provide a safe place to raise their young ones.

Place the nesting box in the height of around ten to twelve feet off the ground and place it in such a place where their droppings will not harm. Most likely, the barn owl is a common species that prefer man-made nesting box to stay.

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The owl nesting box from JC’s wildlife is the best nesting box that you can consider buying. This nesting box is handmade and manufactured in the USA. The assembling and fitting of this nesting box are easy.

To make them feel home and safe, you should always fill the box with acorns and wood shavings. If you want to make your bird cam, you can set up a small night vision camera in the corner of the yard.

2. Large Bird Bath Attract Owls

Like many other birds, frequent bathing is favorite of owls. You should install a birdbath in your yard, which should be large enough that can hold a good-sized owl. Owls use the water feature to clean their feathers and to take baths.

Owl Perching in backyard

If you place a birdbath with a nesting box, this will be the best place for an owl where they can roost. The hearing sense of owls is incredible, thus they attract to the sound of running water from far and wide.

You can consider adding a fountain or a mister to the water bath to make it more attractive for owls. Based on your style and yard, you can choose various designs of birdbaths.

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You can get plenty of options in a nearby market or online store to purchase a suitable birdbath. If you are looking for a durable, large enough, and nice-looking birdbath, you can consider the copper VIVOSUN birdbath.

3. Large Branches Attract Owls

You should prefer large and low branches of the tree to attract owls in your yard where the birds feel more secure. While pruning the trees in your yard, ensure leaving some large branches in trees where owls can get a comfortable perching place.

Owls need perching spots for scouting for food and also to see for any danger including predators. It is the best way to encourage owls to stay in your yard by providing them with some good perching spots in sheltered and quiet areas.

4. Avoid Outdoor Lights

However, outdoor lights are suitable for providing security to the birds, but they can also drive away owls from the yard as owls prefer darkness to hunt. You should also use a timer to set your outdoor lights so that the lights will shut off when you go to bed.

Owls prefer the dark area to hunt for rodents, insects, and other creatures around your home, thus they will like to stay in your yard if they find darkness in your yard. You can consider using some other method such as alarms to ensure the security of owls.

Sitting brown Owl

5. Grow Tall Grass In Your Yard

Owls love tall grasses to hunt naturally because they find their prey easily in taller grasses and they dissuade in short grass. Besides owls, rodents also prefer tall grass because they get a perfect place for hiding in taller grasses.

FAQ About Owls

Can Owls Be Dangerous?

Owls generally hunt during the night and they are very deadly to their prey but the birds do not pose any threat to any other organism. However it is very rare, but there are some cases when they attack young poultry.

Usually, the birds do not deviate from their diet and have a very shy nature therefore they go about their own business. The great horned owl is a common species for which you can lookout. The birds are fierce predators that feed on rival raptors including Ospreys and Peregrine Falcons.

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The birds have sharp talons and with the help of these sharp talons, they can hunt any prey. According to some reports, owls are recorded while attacking cats, small dogs, rabbits, and snakes. So, you can consider a Great horned owl, if you are trying to attract owls in your yard.

Which Owl Species Can Appear In My Yard?

Owls are classified into 200 species among which you can consider some particular species to attract in your yard. The species are as follows:

  • Barn owl
  • Barred owl
  • Eastern screech-owl
  • Great horned owl
  • Western screech owl

If are a resident of the USA, you can look out at the list of owls of USA state to find out which species of owls can be seen in your area.

When Are Baby Owls Born?

The mating season of owls occurs between March and August. Generally, a female owl lays 4 eggs on average at a time but not all of these eggs hatches.

The incubation period of owls is around one month when the birds incubate their eggs and after one month the eggs begin to hatch. If you are thinking to attract owls in your yard, this is the best time to purchase a nesting box.

Snowy Owl

What Is The Best Time Of Year To Attract Owls?

The month of August of fall is the best time to attract owls in your yard if are interested in attracting owls to your property. However, the time also varies according to the species that you want to attract, but the temperature of autumn months is preferred by many owl species, this is the best time to attract them.

Why Do Owls Have Flat Faces?

If you have noticed the face of an owl, it is somewhat flat. This is because their eyes are carefully ringed by feathers therefore their face appear flattened. Due to their appearance, the sound redirects directly into their ear heightening their senses and allowing owls to hunt more efficiently by increasing their hearing ability.

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The owls also can spin their head completely around. This ability is used by owls to ensure the direction from where the sound is coming. The bird rotates its head until the sound is of equal volume in both ears and thus they find their prey.

Do Owls Only Come Out At Night?

It is considered that owls are nocturnal species and it is true to some extent. Most owl species hunt during the night and their prey also include some nocturnal species such as mice that make it easy for owls to hunt at night. However, some species of owl are diurnal and they are active during the day.

For instance, the Northern Hawk owl and the Northern Pygmy owl are diurnal species. The nocturnal owl species also remain semi-alert during the day. They keep an eye on their territory and ensure their safety from any potential threat.

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