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Nest boxes for Tawny Owls
Introduction and Index | ||||||||||||||||
Originally planned as just an article, Nestboxes for Tawny Owls rapidly grew into a section. This was partly a reaction to the poor design and shockingly small side dimensions of many boxes sold here in the UK, which left me feeling that it should be possible to come up with something better. Otherwise these pages take a fairly thorough look at all aspects of putting up a nesting box for tawnies. These owls are in need of boxes as woodland and tree management practices mean that their traditional nesting sites in holes in trees are hard to come by, and open nests are hazardous for chicks. This is a surprisingly complicated topic and others may have different views or advice from my own. Helpful comments and suggestions for additions or modifications would be welcome. Email to raham [at] btinternet [dot] com. (Section written Dec 06-Feb 07. Last update Mar 08)
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Pages 1 and 2: Before Starting A checklist of things to consider before putting up a nestbox. Introduces some topics that are covered in more detail in later pages. (The Cambridgeshire tawnies have moved and now have their own home here) | ||||||||||||||||
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Page 3: Types of Nestbox The two types of nestbox sold here in the UK and their disadvantages. (Boxes sold on the internet are listed on Page 9: Commercial box review, and the two officially sanctioned designs get further critical consideration on Page 11: Approved designs.) | ||||||||||||||||
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Page 4: Making Your Own As it's difficult to recommend many of the commercial boxes, this page gives some plans for better boxes that can be made by someone with moderate carpentry skills. One is a simple box design like the one at left, and two others are based on the American letterbox for Barred Owls and the French nichoir à balcon. The nichoir à balcon, or balcony box, can be modified for use in areas where there are predators like martens, and this is given as a fourth design. All provide a kinder nesting site than the cramped British boxes. Current favourite: the Dutch-designed letterbox. I'm making two, see below. | ||||||||||||||||
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Page 4.3: Making your Own I've made two Dutch-design letterboxes for use in our local wood this season. See this page for fairly full details of construction and pics of how they went up in their trees. | ||||||||||||||||
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Page 5: Tree Attachment Methods A run through some of the methods used to attach heavy boxes to trees. | ||||||||||||||||
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Page 6: Putting it up Not always as easy as it might seem. Hopefully this page will have you prepared for most of the surprises. | ||||||||||||||||
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Page 7: Modifying a Chimney Box Ready-made chimney boxes are cheap, and as I've recently re-engineered one myself as an experiment, here's a page on how a chimney box can be turned on its side to make a roomy nesting space. So much room in fact that cameras can be put in too. But I don't recommend doing it -- better to design a bespoke camera box. | ||||||||||||||||
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Page 8: Adding a Camera With many box designs most or all of what goes on inside is tantalisingly out of view. Cameras and lights are not expensive and allow you to see a great deal without disturbing the owls. Cable lengths up to 100 m can be used. This page won't be complete until I've finished off my own installations, but it provides a start. | ||||||||||||||||
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Page 9: A look at Commercial Boxes in the UK Boxes I've found on sale over the internet in the UK. Almost all are based on the tube design, and they are listed in order of side dimensions. Many ignore the dimensions recommended by the RSPB and BTO and are depressingly cramped for a female tawny and her brood. | ||||||||||||||||
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Page 9.1: A letterbox from Spring Into Action, Devon If you'd rather have a box of this type made for you, have a look at this page. It's a new box that's just coming on to the market, and Spring Into Action is the only outfit that's making this style of letterbox for tawnies. It's planned to have camera-equipped models ready for the 2009 season. | ||||||||||||||||
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Page 10: Boxes Others are Using Mainly for fun, and includes Barred Owl boxes from the US, which are a good design and should be adopted for Tawny Owls here in the UK. Look at this page to get more ideas if you think of designing your own. | ||||||||||||||||
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Page 11: Approved Designs, especially in the UK A critical look at the two designs published by the RSPB and BTO, which many British manufacturers claim to base their boxes on. Includes a comparison with what's on offer in France, the USA and Canada. | ||||||||||||||||
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