How to Attract Saw-Whet Owls
- 1). Acquire an appropriate nest box. Boxes especially for saw-whet owls are widely available from garden suppliers. You can also use a suitable box intended for another species or you can make your own. This species needs a box approximately 16 inches by 9 inches by 9 inches with a 3-inch entrance hole. They may use smaller boxes, but the entrance hole must be at least 2 ½ inches in diameter.
- 2). Position the box about 8 to 15 feet up a tree in a quiet part of your garden. Height is not particularly important to these owls. They nest in any suitable site. But place it high enough to be inaccessible to many predators, yet not so high that installing the box and cleaning it at the end of the nesting season is likely to be a major task.
- 3). Plant coniferous native trees if you have the space. Such trees grow quickly and provide exactly the sort of habitat that attracts saw-whet owls. They also provide a place for the owls to roost in.
- 4). Behave carefully around the owls and don't approach too closely. They have a habit of sitting still, rather than flying away, when a potential predator approaches. The owls might let you get very close, but they will be frightened and may decide to make their home somewhere else.