Barn owls are reputed to accept boxes readily. So I'd give it a try. The
best mounting system is to put the box against the inside wall of a barn
and cut a rectangular hole for the bird to enter through. The Barn Owl
boxes I've seen have been about the size of a small doghouse, so it's a
bit of an investment of materials compared to a bluebird box (but well
worth it, I'd say).

I'm not sure where to find the appropriate dimensions - as I remember the
hole was about 4"x8" and the box itself was maybe 2'h x 2'd x 3'l. Maybe
someone knows where you can find plans on the web.

One of my infinite never-carried-through ideas was to put one in the barn
on Spencer Island. Seems like as close to a sure-fire spot as there is.

Chris Hill

"Sentiment without action is the ruination of the soul" - Edward Abbey

On Wed, 4 Feb 1998 Bbsenturia at aol.com wrote:

> Tweeters - I was recently asked the following question by Janna Triesman,
> Steward of Seattle Audubon's Nature Reserve at Carnation Marsh..
> There has been a Barn Owl resident in one of the old barns on a property
> adjacent to the Marsh. In a recent windstorm this barn was blown down. She
> asked if putting a structure/box in another nearby barn might keep the Barn
> Owl in the neighborhood - or if there was anything else she might do to
> 'mitigate' the situation. I didn't know of any measures which might keep the
> owl around, but thought I should put the question to many of you who know much
> more about owls than I do.
> Thanks in advance.
> Brenda Senturia
> Bbsenturia at aol.com
>