Building a Nesting Box for Barred Owl

I started and finished building a Barred Owl Box today. Placement is probably going to require assistance as it weighs a lot.

Most of these things are plain wood boxes, but mine is 3/4” ply that is insulated and then fitted with a wood interior lining. Five 1” drain holes are in the bottom, three layers of wood are on the roof, and 4-5 inches of locally sourced, fair-trade, organic, artisanal wood mulch is on the inside bottom to encourage nesting. Two thin rails on the inside front are to help the chicks get out, and the same is on the outside.

The outside is painted black and brown to slow weathering — the owls won’t care so long as it’s not shiny or attracts predators.