Barn Owl house: dimensions and placement
A large box, usually built rather than bought.
What are the barn owl house dimensions?
| Inside floor | 10 x 18 in |
|---|---|
| Floor to roof | 15 to 18 in |
| Entrance | 6 in |
| Hole above floor | 4 in |
| Mounting height | 12 to 18 ft |
| Habitat | Farmland, grassland and marsh edge. Often inside a barn or on a tall pole. |
| Range | Most of the US |
Source: Cornell Lab NestWatch nest box table and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service "Homes for Birds". Build one from these numbers with the birdhouse calculator, which adds a board cut list.
More boxes that fit
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Where should a barn owl house go?
Farmland, grassland and marsh edge. Often inside a barn or on a tall pole. Mount on a smooth metal pole where possible, fit a predator guard, and face the entrance away from prevailing wind. Leave the box up through winter as a roost, and clean it out after each brood.
Watch the nest without disturbing it
Nest box cameras let you follow eggs and chicks without opening the box.
Nest box dimensions for other species
Eastern Bluebird · Western Bluebird · Mountain Bluebird · Tree Swallow · Violet-green Swallow · Purple Martin · House Wren · Carolina Wren · Bewick's Wren · Black-capped Chickadee · Carolina Chickadee · Tufted Titmouse · White-breasted Nuthatch · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Downy Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Red-bellied Woodpecker · Red-headed Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Prothonotary Warbler · Great Crested Flycatcher · Ash-throated Flycatcher · Eastern Screech-Owl · American Kestrel · Wood Duck · American Robin · Barn Swallow · Eastern Phoebe
Birds that do not use boxes: Cardinals · Blue Jays · Mourning Doves · Goldfinches · Hummingbirds · Orioles · House Finches
Get the nest box season checklist
When to put boxes up, when to clean them out, and the hole sizes for every common species, on one page.
Used only to send the checklist.Frequently asked questions
What size hole does a barn owl need?
The published figure is 6 in, drilled 4 inches above the floor. Holes this large admit starlings, so monitor the box and remove starling nests, which are not protected. Keep the edge smooth and never add a perch.
How high should a barn owl house be mounted?
Mount it 12 to 18 feet above the ground. Farmland, grassland and marsh edge. Often inside a barn or on a tall pole. A smooth metal pole with a predator guard or baffle is safer than a tree trunk or wooden fence post, which cats, raccoons and snakes can climb. Face the entrance away from prevailing wind and afternoon sun where you can.
Where do barn owls live?
Most of the US. Farmland, grassland and marsh edge. Often inside a barn or on a tall pole. A box put up outside the species' range or in the wrong habitat will simply be taken by whatever local cavity nester does fit, which is often a wren, chickadee or house sparrow.
When should I put up a barn owl house?
Late winter, before birds start choosing sites in early spring, is ideal. Boxes put up later still attract second nesting attempts and late arrivals. Clean old nesting material out after each brood fledges and again before the next season; many small birds also use empty boxes as winter night roosts.
What should go inside a barn owl box?
Add 2 to 3 inches of untreated wood shavings. These species bring no nest material of their own, so eggs would roll on a bare floor. Never use cedar shavings treated with oils, sawdust that packs wet, or hay that moulds.