Invite Tiny Screech Owls to your Backyard with a Nest Box

One of my neighbors has had a screech owl box up for years, with the occasional little face peeking out.  We put one up about ten years ago, but never saw any activity, and when the branch it was on was rotten, the box sat around for a few years.  But when we saw that cute face, we decided to rehang our box, which was designed with room for a security camera to fit right in.  We thought it might be too late in the season, but we went through some serious shenanigans anyway, figuring out how to hang this large box high enough that I can see it from my office window.

We are already working on our second video about this, because we are now basically obsessed with these birds.  You can build your own screech owl box (Audubon has step-by-step instructions here) or you can buy one like this at your Wild Bird Center. There is a wood duck box in our conservation area where they have nested for years: it’s where I got this great pic that’s on the cover of our children’s board book.  I’m sure hoping I’ll get more of those if they nest in this screech owl box!