Owls can be a very beneficial neighbor to have. If you live somewhere with mature trees, chances are you have an owl in your area.

While owls prefer the larger wooded areas, they have been known to live in the suburbs. You can’t really build a feeder for owls, as they eat small rodents, but there are some things that you can do to help attract them to your area. Keep in mind that owls are nocturnal, so you probably won’t ever see them, but you can hear them.

Owls like large, mature trees. This provides a nice roost for them to find prey. Even dead trees will attract them. If you have large trees, try to protect them from disease.

Owls are known to bathe and drink from bird baths. Install one in your yard to accommodate their size.

One a tall tree, you can mount a large birdhouse to attract smaller owls (screech). Have it between 10 – 30 feet from the ground.

Also, try to avoid using poisons to eliminate rats and mice. If an owl eats a poisoned animal, they will probably die from the poison as well.

Again, do not be disappointed if you do not see owls. Just keep an ear open for their “who’s” – a sure sign that you have an owl as a neighbor.