Barn Owls have started mating - actively (3 Viewers)

[Montereyman]

I put up a barn owl box 5 years ago and a year later had the first owls nest in it and produce 3 chicks. The following year none showed up and the year after that the nest was abandoned with it 3 eggs. A month ago a female arrive and entered the nest and 3 weeks later the male arrived. They are now actively copulating and so there is hope for chicks this year. It is getting down to the low 30's F at night so hope she delays laying eggs for a few more weeks.

At the local nature preserve there used to be several barn owl boxes but the managers with the California Fish & Game are not big on nest boxes and removed all of them from the barns. The state is not interested in anything that does no generate revenue from the sale of hunting licenses.

 

[Montereyman]

As of yesterday there are 4 eggs in the nest box. The male continues to be active in providing mice for the female. Within a few weeks we should start to see some hatch.

 

[Montereyman]

Currently 7 eggs in total and two have hatched, one two days ago and the second on this morning. I am much more aware of the need for both owl parents to be extremely dedicated. The female sits on the eggs 24x7 and is 100% dependent on the mice that the male brings to her. If anything was to happen to the male the female would be forced to abandon the nest and her chicks.

 

[Montereyman]

My wife has been working on organizing the videos that are being made on an ongoing basis for our barn owl family.

Our Barn Owls

Our Barn Owls

photo.peracorp.com

 

[Montereyman]

I bought our barn owl nesting box from this company in the USA. Many of their nest boxes are used at farms and vineyards in the area.
Barn Owl and Screech Owl and Bluebird Nest Boxes | Barn Owl Box Company

I found the best plans for DIY barn owl boxes on UK websites but did not realize until recently that the American species is roughly 50% larger than the European and so the nesting box should be larger for use in the North America.

The seventh and last egg has hatched yesterday and the first to hatch have doubled in size. Thanks to the male being an excellent hunter there is no lack of food for the mother and her seven owlets. Fortunately in my immediate area we do not have homeowners or farmers making use of rodenticides as one poisoned rodent could end the life of the adult male owl and result in the 7 owlets starving to death.