Barn Owl Nesting Box – Spring 2026

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After watching an episode of Jeremy Clarkson, the Diddly Squat Farm, and his efforts to erect a nesting box, as part of his efforts to conserve and preserve bird species.

I thought I could give that a go ??

Well, I happened to notice a message on Facebook of somebody giving away bird boxes. I responded back, but due to my time commitments, a few weeks had passed. I had a response back to say there were still some bird boxes available.

Thinking they would be for robins or blue tits. I arranged to have one. Needless to say, I did not really ask too many questions, as they were for free. We arranged to meet up and unload and load vehicles. Well…

This is what was given to me as a bird box. It was for a Barn Owl Tyto alba. Great, I thought, I could help conservation and also reduce mice problems.

I went through the design stages of what to buy for the post and its location. Location was relatively easy, as it’s got to point South East, to get the early morning sunshine. The post was proving difficult, as Jeremy Clarkson was using an old telegraph pole. When I enquired as to the price, I was shocked. So I came up with a more cost-effective method, i.e., using 150mm x 50mm tanalised house joists. I could get it at a reasonable price and at 4.7m long from the builders’ merchants. The guidance height of a barn Owl Box is about 5m.

Then assemble it on the ground, the reason being we have no machinery and only 2 of us (only half for me, with my arthritis).

The hole was dug deep and square into solid clay. No gravel or boulders were found. The hole went down about 1.2m. In the photo, my associate was bending down.

 

Even then, the weight of all of it was excessive for the 1.5 of us to lift off the ground. So we enlisted a bodybuilder. We managed to get it into the hole, but it needed a lot of packing to keep it vertical, and angle struts.

With the post being just timber joists, it was proving to be very flexible. The decision was made to add steel beams (100mm x 50mm) to either side of the bottom section. Then came the mixing of approx half a tonne of concrete with a mix 1 part cement to 4 parts sand/gravel with very little water (no slopp permitted). This should be a very strong mix to withstand the years of whatever the weather can throw at it, and also to be very strong.

It’s all concreted in, and the struts are removed after a week of the concrete setting.

The Barn Owls should have a very good view of an open meadow. It is only cut for hay in August. Then a view in the opposite direction. The 2 jobs left are to add a layer of soft wood shavings to the floor of the box and a scattering of dry leaves. Should make them feel at home. Then the final job is to incorporate a trail camera to record every event, hopefully of Barn Owls and not squirrels or jackdaws.

The Barn Owl box was donated to me from https://www.rugby.gov.uk/w/onley-prisoners-build-bird-boxes-with-support-from-rugby-businesses  They say that DOZENS of bird, bat and bug boxes have been distributed to schools and community organisations after borough businesses backed a new project launched by Rugby Borough Council, Warwickshire and Onley Prison. Onley prisoners build bird boxes with support from Rugby businesses. The bird boxes are of real quality, and treated to last years, and I would like to thank all of those involved in this scheme, but most importantly the Onley prison prisoners.

RSPB Barn Owls and how to identify https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/barn-owl

A few Barn Owl facts to start you off https://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-facts/

Frquently Asked Questions https://www.somersetwildlife.org/swtbarnowls/faq

What do Owls Look Like https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/birds/barn-owl/

Owl Facts https://www.bto.org/learn/about-birds/birdfacts/barn-owl

Species Information https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/birds-prey/barn-owl