Perch Supply
Nest box specification

Barred Owl house dimensions

The Barred Owl nests in natural tree cavity or old hawk nest; accepts large nest boxes A box built to its measurements — and no bigger — is what makes it choose yours.

Owls (Strigidae)Barred OwlStrix varia

The specifications

Entrance hole
7–8 in
Floor (inside)
13 × 13 in
Mounting height
12–20 ft
Bird size
16.9–19.7 in, 16.6–37 oz
Clutch
1–5 eggs
Incubation
28–33 days
Time in nest
28–42 days
Broods
1 per season

Build and mounting checklist

  • Drill the entrance to exactly 7–8 in — oversized holes let in European Starlings and larger predators.
  • No outside perch: cavity nesters don't need one, and it helps House Sparrows and predators.
  • Unpainted interior, 3/4-inch untreated wood (cedar or pine) or poly-lumber for insulation.
  • Drainage holes in the floor corners and ventilation gaps under the roof.
  • A side or front panel that opens so you can monitor and clean the box.
  • Rough or grooved inner front wall so nestlings can climb out.
  • Pole mount with a stovepipe or cone baffle to stop snakes, raccoons and cats.

When to put up a Barred Owl box, by state

Boxes should be up and clean a month before local nesting starts. Dates shift with latitude:

PlaceUp byNestingClean out
British ColumbiaJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
MaineJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
ManitobaJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
MinnesotaJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
New BrunswickJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
New HampshireJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
Newfoundland and LabradorJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
Nova ScotiaJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
OntarioJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
Prince Edward IslandJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
QuebecJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
SaskatchewanJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
VermontJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
WisconsinJanuaryFebruary–MayJune
AlabamaAprilMay–MayJune
FloridaAprilMay–MayJune
GeorgiaAprilMay–MayJune
LouisianaAprilMay–MayJune
MississippiAprilMay–MayJune
South CarolinaAprilMay–MayJune
TexasAprilMay–MayJune
ArkansasDecemberJanuary–MayJune
ConnecticutDecemberJanuary–MayJune
DelawareDecemberJanuary–MayJune
IllinoisDecemberJanuary–MayJune
IndianaDecemberJanuary–MayJune
IowaDecemberJanuary–MayJune
KansasDecemberJanuary–MayJune
KentuckyDecemberJanuary–MayJune
MarylandDecemberJanuary–MayJune
MassachusettsDecemberJanuary–MayJune
MichiganDecemberJanuary–MayJune
MissouriDecemberJanuary–MayJune
NebraskaDecemberJanuary–MayJune
New JerseyDecemberJanuary–MayJune
New YorkDecemberJanuary–MayJune
North CarolinaDecemberJanuary–MayJune
OhioDecemberJanuary–MayJune
OklahomaDecemberJanuary–MayJune
PennsylvaniaDecemberJanuary–MayJune
Rhode IslandDecemberJanuary–MayJune
South DakotaDecemberJanuary–MayJune
TennesseeDecemberJanuary–MayJune
VirginiaDecemberJanuary–MayJune
West VirginiaDecemberJanuary–MayJune

Full Barred Owl species guide →

Frequently asked

What size hole does a Barred Owl need?

7–8 in. A hole cut to this size admits the Barred Owl (16.9–19.7 in) while keeping out larger competitors.

How big should a Barred Owl house be inside?

A floor of 13 × 13 in. The Barred Owl lays 1–5 eggs, so the floor has to hold the full clutch plus growing nestlings.

How high should I mount a Barred Owl box?

12–20 ft. Mount on a pole with a predator baffle where possible rather than a tree or fence.

How long does a Barred Owl use the box?

Incubation takes 28–33 days and the young stay in the nest 28–42 days. Broods per year: 1 per season.

Sources

  1. Barred Owl — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Barred Owl life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Barred Owl — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
  4. NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.