The Lawn Care Solution That'll Help Attract Owls To Your Yard

As a homeowner, cleaning your backyard is likely one of your weekly tasks. So, the moment you spot pests such as spiders, insects, or small rodents lurking about, you'll start thinking of effective ways to eradicate these unwanted visitors. But instead of relying on commercial pesticides, why not use owls? Yes, these birds feed on mice, voles, spiders, and other small mammals that wreak havoc on your yard. However, the trick to attracting these nocturnal creatures lies in making changes to your lawn care routine. You'll need to limit mowing. At least for some time, allow your lawn to be overrun by weeds.

While neglecting your yard might not be the kind of lawn care solution you would ordinarily think of, it actually works for attracting these raptors. Owls are a unique kind of bird so you can't simply go for the same methods you use to attract a variety of other birds to your yard. Unlike other regular birds, they are active at night because their eyes are adapted to low light. On that note, you'll also want to keep outdoor lights off at night as this would scare them off. Owls also prefer night hunting for their food to minimize competition. And speaking of food, this is where the unkempt yard comes in handy.

Extending the period between your regular lawn maintenance will make your yard appear similar to a natural hunting ground. This is how you attract owls to your yard. We are talking tall grasses, brush, piles comprising dead leaves, twigs, and grass trimmings, and large unmown sections. When the hooters see this, they'll want to swoop in and look for food. The "unkempt" yard will lure in pests like mice and voles which will in turn attract owls, their natural predators.

So, if you've been mowing your yard every week, consider toning it down to say once in two to three weeks. This will allow grass and weeds to grow a little longer than usual. At the same time, leave your shrubs unpruned, and ignore those tree branches for sometime. Owls love perching in these areas for camouflage as they sleep during the day. If you are lucky enough to have a dead tree on your property, an owl could even opt to nest there.

If at all you can't stop mowing your entire yard and just don't feel comfortable about the idea, you can leave just a section of your yard unmown. And after trimming and raking the rest of your outdoor space, gather the cuttings and leaf litter in a pile in a corner away from the front yard or towards the edge. The owls can be drawn to that pile to hunt for little critters that hide under it.