For the Birds: Nesting boxes for tiny owls placed in three parks

Parks workers and volunteers
placing an owl box in a Shoreline ciity park
Photo by Christine Southwick

By Christine Southwick

On Saturday, February 8, Puget Sound Bird Observatory, with two very helpful members of Shoreline’s Park Department, hung eight owl boxes in three parks: three in Hamlin Park, two in Twin Ponds, and three in Boeing Creek. These boxes are designed for our two locally-found small owls, the Western Screech Owl and Northern Saw-whet Owl.

Puget Sound Bird Observatory is studying whether these small owls are still found in these parks, if so, how many, and if they can successfully raise broods in these boxes.

Why the study? Fewer of these owls are being heard, and there is a growing concern that loss of suitable tree cavities for nesting, and the increasing population of Barred Owls are tipping the scale against the viability of these smaller owls. Both these owls prefer habitat in coniferous forests, which unfortunately are becoming more and more fragmented, which opens more habitat for the highly adaptable Barred Owl.

Owls can’t excavate holes for their nests, so they depend on using former woodpecker nests, or finding natural openings suitable for owl nests. Unfortunately for these little owls (approx 8 inches in height) smaller trees with holes that are too small for the larger owls holes are more likely to fall or be taken down as unsightly, so there are fewer places for these diminutive owls to raise their young.

Save the tiny owls!
Photo by Scott Ramos

Barred Owls like these little owls on their menu. Because Barred Owls will often investigate when they hear either the Western Screech, or the Saw-owls, please do NOT play their calls. It annoys and alarms these small birds, and puts them in danger of detection by the Barred Owls, which are in many of our parks.

Please be quiet near these boxes as these owls are easily disturbed, and Saw-whet owls have been known to abandon their nests. If you see or hear any owls, please email.

There will be more owl boxes hung in other Shoreline Parks this fall. 

Owl box in place - waiting for a tenant
Photo by Christine Southwick

If you are interested in helping watch a couple of these boxes on a regular basis, go to this website to find out the details to volunteer for this study.

With any luck, several of these boxes will be used this year, and we may be able to see the nestlings in May.

To view other For the Birds columns by Christine Southwick, go to our main webpage and look under Features.