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Advice needed on attracting raptors (1 Viewer)

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Paula Jane

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I am hoping someone can give me some advice on attracting larger birds of prey. Due to problems with dizziness and falls I am no longer able to hike and camp. Not wanting to limit myself to staring at my neighbor’s cows I have undertaken to return the land surrounding my new home to a more natural state. Finding information on attracting smaller birds was not a problem but I have found very little practical advice on how to attract raptors.

Has anyone had any success attracting owls and hawks? I have a few large oaks that seem appropriate for the hawks to nest in and the neighboring fields appear to be prime hunting grounds. In addition, I have made the log barn accessible in hopes of attracting a barn owl. Unfortunately, it has been to no avail.

Having added the appropriate water supply and food source to attract prey animals I am at a loss as to what I should do next. Any advice would be very appreciated.

Thanks

Paula Jane
 
Hello Paula Jane,

The smaller birds attract the raptors. I haven't seen the owls, but I have hawks around here all the time and they didn't show up until I started getting so many birds at my feeders. Plus, I have very large hickory trees, live along a ravine with a big open space in the middle. It seems to give them a place to observe the feeders and snatch one of them as they fly out into the open coming to the feeders. Doves appear to be their favorite. I've not seen them catch anything else yet!

I also have just started getting bald eagles in the past two years. It's amazing to watch them as Ohio hasn't had very many during the years I was growing up. You always had to go to the zoo to see them.
 
Kestrels and screech owls can be attracted with nest boxes.
I've constructed a nesting platform for Great horned owls that was occupied for several years.
Also, barn owls can be accomadated in nesting structures.
A strategically placed post in good grassland or pature habitat will appeal to redtails and kestrels by day and horned owls by night.
I've been told that barred owls will use a nesting box but I have no hands on experience with that.
Most active bird feeding stations are frequented on regular basis by cooper's hawks and the smaller sharp shinned hawk.
 
I looking into building Kestrel boxes at the moment. Just have to work out whether the birds would nest in a box at the top of a pole or would prefer some "backing" as well. Our backyard borders an Army logistics base with acres of open grassland and small trees.

Cheers
 
I remember a mate lying flat out on the ground on a trip to Turkey to try to attract vultures down to his supposedly dead body. He insisted he got better views than he would have otherwise.

John
 
Farnboro John said:
I remember a mate lying flat out on the ground on a trip to Turkey to try to attract vultures down to his supposedly dead body. He insisted he got better views than he would have otherwise.

John
Click to expand...

lol, nice tip but isn't that a bit drastic in this situation?

There was a program on British TV a few months ago, and they built a structure in the hope of attracting Barn Owl's (as the barn they were nesting in was falling down). From what I can remember the hole they access has to be at least 8 feet (?) off the ground, and it helps if it looks out over open ground, and not bushes/trees, this gives the birds good vision when entering and leaving the building. You are also going to need a good supply of Voles for the Barn owls to feed on.

hope this helps.
Wally
 
One of the methods that the gamekeepers use to attract birds of prey so that they can shoot them or poison them is to stake out dead prey items, such as rabbits, birds etc. Another method is to place cut up pieces of meat in a feeding area where you want the birds to land, such as the top of a tree trunk, a fence post or an area of ground. You can also obtain dead chicks from poultry breeding farms and place these where you want to attract a visitor, if you do this regularly enough the Raptors become accustomed to it and will come down readily. We have several Raptor feeding stations in the UK, one well known one is Gigrin Farm in Wales, Red Kites, Common Buzzards and Ravens are regular visitors and can be timed to appear when food is put out for them.

For nesting Owls, nest boxes have already been mentioned, but a better method if it's possible is to hollow out old dead trees, making a hole large enough to take a nesting owl. If you can obtain old crow nests you can set these up in baskets made from wire netting in the forks of appropriate trees. Old crow nests can be utilised by many bird of prey species, such as Owls, Kestrels, Merlins etc. If you have Osprey's in your area you can build artificial nests for them quite easily, generally they need to be in a flat topped tree with an open outlook, with nearby open perches for the birds to land on. For a better Idea of the type of nest log on to the RSPB web pages, there you will find plenty of nest and site photo's.

nirofo.
 
Last edited:
I agree with Andy above...

To start, your best bet is building a nest box for American Kestrels or screech owls.

Many websites offer free Nest Box Plans...

Here is one:
http://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/american-kestrel-nest-box.html

To attract raptors, you will have to provide what they need for feeding, roosting and/or nesting.

Except for nest boxes, it may take a long time to grow habitat suitable for nesting.

It will be easier to provide food and habitat to attract prey items, which will then attract raptors.

Most people with bird feeders already know that the small Accipiters will show up to be take part in the feeding...

Allowing grass to grow, and planting shrubs and ground cover will also provide habitat for small rodents etc. (which most people do not want to attract near their homes).

Good luck.
 
nirofo said:
One of the methods that the gamekeepers use to attract birds of prey so that they can shoot them or poison them is to stake out dead prey items, such as rabbits, birds etc. Another method is to place cut up pieces of meat in a feeding area where you want the birds to land, such as the top of a tree trunk, a fence post or an area of ground. You can also obtain dead chicks from poultry breeding farms and place these where you want to attract a visitor, if you do this regularly enough the Raptors become accustomed to it and will come down readily. We have several Raptor feeding stations in the UK, one well known one is Gigrin Farm in Wales, Red Kites, Common Buzzards and Ravens are regular visitors and can be timed to appear when food is put out for them.

For nesting Owls, nest boxes have already been mentioned, but a better method if it's possible is to hollow out old dead trees, making a hole large enough to take a nesting owl. If you can obtain old crow nests you can set these up in baskets made from wire netting in the forks of appropriate trees. Old crow nests can be utilised by many bird of prey species, such as Owls, Kestrels, Merlins etc. If you have Osprey's in your area you can build artificial nests for them quite easily, generally they need to be in a flat topped tree with an open outlook, with nearby open perches for the birds to land on. For a better Idea of the type of nest log on to the RSPB web pages, there you will find plenty of nest and site photo's.

nirofo.
Click to expand...
I like that idea of using a crow nest.
I provided a nesting platform for horned owls about ten years using an old tire as the foundation and then fashioning a nest from hardware cloth and pine boughs.
It worked for a couple of years and I let the upkeep slide.
I could renew it with a crows nest and probably have a better nest than I was able to build.

At least it would conceal the damn tire which makes me cringe every time I pass by.
Thanks for the tip!!
 
Andy in West Oz said:
I looking into building Kestrel boxes at the moment. Just have to work out whether the birds would nest in a box at the top of a pole or would prefer some "backing" as well. Our backyard borders an Army logistics base with acres of open grassland and small trees.

Cheers
Click to expand...
I generally bolt nest box to side of pole when using a utility pole or lone tree.
I've also used 16' pressure treated posts in which case I've fastened to top of post to maximize height.
North American birds seem to like a lone post or tree close to good hunting.
I do what I can to eliminate competition/predation from mammals by flashing with aluminum or using a conical baffle.(I've been using 1/8" ABS sheet plastic for baffles in recent years).
 
Farnboro John said:
I remember a mate lying flat out on the ground on a trip to Turkey to try to attract vultures down to his supposedly dead body. He insisted he got better views than he would have otherwise.

John
Click to expand...
Tried that~I got trampled by a flock(herd) of Goats!!! Don't laugh.
 
tburke said:
I generally bolt nest box to side of pole when using a utility pole or lone tree.
I've also used 16' pressure treated posts in which case I've fastened to top of post to maximize height.
North American birds seem to like a lone post or tree close to good hunting.
I do what I can to eliminate competition/predation from mammals by flashing with aluminum or using a conical baffle.(I've been using 1/8" ABS sheet plastic for baffles in recent years).
Click to expand...

Thanks mate!
 
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