10 Best Nesting Boxes To Attract Owls To Your Yard, According To Reviews

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A yard full of rodents often spells trouble. Rats and mice, for example, are expert home invaders, squeezing into the tiniest of holes and creating unsanitary conditions inside with their droppings and urine. Other pests, like moles and voles, stay outside, but because of their tunneling habits, can turn a once-pristine yard into a lawn full of hills and tunnels. If you're looking for the best eco-friendly rodent control, consider inviting owls to live nearby. A single owl can eat up to 12 mice per day, quickly reducing the rodent population. Ready to get started? One of the best tips and tricks for attracting owls to your yard is to create a home for them with a nesting box, like one from JCs Wildlife or WildYard. But since not all are created equal, we scoured reviews of the most popular models to find the best.

Even if you don't have a rodent problem, watching an owl take up residence near your home can be a fun hobby. Installing a nesting box can attract a variety of owl species, such as Barn Owls, Western Screech Owls, and Barred Owls, among others. But before you do so, make sure that your yard is a safe habitat for owls that's free from harmful chemicals like rodent poisons and pesticides.

With a 4.8 out of five-star rating on Amazon from more than 200 reviewers, this large cedar owl house from WHITEHORSE is one of the highest-rated owl nesting boxes available. Its large cavity size means it's suitable for a range of owls, including the Western Screech Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, Elf Owl, Northern Pygmy Owl, and more. It does require some assembly, but comes with everything you need, including mounting screws, installation videos and guides, and cedar shavings for owls to use as nesting material. "My first owl house and it's awesome. Top quality cedar lumber and hardware milled perfectly so every piece fits as it should," said one customer.

Want to attract Screech Owls to the yard? This nesting box from JCS Wildlife might be what you need. Handmade from ⅞-inch-thick cedar wood, it provides insulation for Screech Owls and owlets. It features drainage holes in the bottom and an upward swinging door for easy cleaning. The box is well-loved by customers, as evidenced by the more than 800 reviews that earn it a 4.7-star rating. The biggest complaints we found concerned the quality of the included screws, so if you go with this one, keep in mind you might need to upgrade the hardware for a more secure mount.

If you want to try attracting owls to your yard with a budget-friendly box before investing in something more expensive, the UUMENHA Cedar Owl House is worth a try, according to its ratings. It's best for owls in the 9- to 11-inch range and features an access hole large enough for birds to enter but small enough to keep other predators out. It's made of cedar wood and comes with installation instructions for easy setup. "Very well made and cedar wood. Now, you do have to assemble...easy...just follow the directions. Extra screws and small screwdriver included. Don't over tighten," advised one reviewer.

With a 4.6-star rating from almost 200 past purchasers, the WildYard Cedar Barn Owl Nesting Box is made of cedar wood and features a large front window to allow birds to easily enter and observe their surroundings. Inside the box, internal climbing bars make it easy for the owls to get in and out, and a swinging door allows for cleaning in between occupants. Since one of the biggest mistakes that are keeping owls away from your yard is overdoing it with outdoor lights, mount this box away from light pollution for best results. The box comes with everything you need for setup, including mounting screws, installation instructions, and one bag of wood shavings.

Many owl boxes are made of cedar wood because of its natural weather resistance. However, this owl nesting box from Kingsyard takes a different approach, using recycled plastic instead. The result is a box that's weather- and pest-resistant. It's ideal for small and medium-sized owl species and comes with all mounting hardware required for installation. It has a 4.6 rating on Amazon, but as of right now only has 43 reviews. "Great owl nesting box made from that same recycled plastic 'wood' that you see park benches, playground equipment, etc... made from. Should be considerably more durable (and easier to clean) than the natural wood houses," stated a verified purchaser.

Choosing the best type of birdhouse for your yard often comes down to what type of bird you'd like to attract. If your answer is the Barred Owl, then this nesting box from JCS Wildlife is a great choice. The box is 26 inches tall, providing space for the larger size of these birds. It's made of exterior-grade plywood treated with linseed oil for protection from the elements and has a cleanout door, making it easy for you to access the inside of the box. "This barred owl nesting box exceeds my expectations in quality. Very easy to put up," one customer noted in their review.

Made of solid ⅝-inch thick cedar, this owl house box from Cedar Alpha is perfect for attracting Screech Owls and other small to medium-sized birds. The owl house features a stainless steel perch on the outside and an operable door allowing for cleaning of the inside. It has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon from more than 300 reviewers, and many customers have used it to house a variety of animals, including squirrels and birds. While it's an appropriate size for owls, just be aware that other critters may decide to call this nesting box home.

The HHWODB Owl Nesting Box is handmade from cedar and features a perch on the box's exterior. It includes all mounting hardware and even comes with shavings the owls can use as nesting material. A small safety latch on the front door makes it easy to open and clean, and there's a large enough window for the owls to view their surroundings. The box has a 4.4-star rating from nearly 200 reviewers, though there's mixed feedback on the instructions. Some customers stated that the box was easy to assemble, while a couple complained that the instructions weren't clear enough.

If you live in a region where larger owls take up residence, this 16.1-inch-tall owl nesting box from the brand AnNowshua Ling might be what you need. It's constructed of carbonized cedar wood, helping it to withstand rain. A perch on the outside and ventilation in the box provide a cozy spot for larger species, like Barred Owls, to hang out. "Fantastic owl box! Assembly was a breeze — especially if you use a power screwdriver — but even the small handheld screwdriver included in the kit was a pleasant surprise and one I'll keep. The instructions were clear, and the finished product feels incredibly solid, sturdy, and surprisingly handsome," commented a verified purchaser on Amazon.

The MOBYKE Screech Owl House was built with owl safety in mind, and customers are impressed. "As someone who cares deeply about wildlife, especially owls, I couldn't be more impressed with this upgraded screech owl house. The design improvements are smart and show a true understanding of owl behavior and nesting safety," stated one reviewer. The house excludes an exterior scratching pole so as not to attract other animals. It features grooves inside the house to assist owls in climbing out, as well. It's sized for medium to small owls and comes with mounting hardware and wood shavings.