Barn Owl in December
Where barn owls are in December, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
December in the Barn Owl's year
December is the start of the true winter season. Birds are settled into winter ranges and flocking behavior peaks — mixed flocks move through woods and yards together, and feeding stations become social hubs. Short days mean birds must find most of their food in a few hours of daylight.
For the Barn Owl specifically, December is a winter month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 31 states and provinces where barn owls occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where barn owls are in December
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In December, barn owls are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in December
December is inside the Barn Owl nesting season — about a month earlier in the South and a month later in the North. Nest: barn lofts, silos, tree cavities and large nest boxes. Clutch 2–18 eggs, incubation 29–34 days, 1–3 per season.
The southern nesting season has already wound down, but northern pairs are still raising young — the whole season shifts later as you go north. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in December
- Voles and rats
The best rodent control a farm can have; a single family takes thousands of voles a year.
Feeders are busiest at dawn and dusk as birds fuel up against long cold nights. Suet and other high-fat foods earn their keep this month.
Watching barn owls this month
In December, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
If you have a Barn Owl box up, watch from a distance for comings and goings — steady traffic means an active nest — the box guide below has the exact hole size and mounting height this species needs.
Barn Owl month by month
Barn Owl by state
Frequently asked
Where are barn owls in December?
In December, barn owls are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do barn owls nest in December?
Yes — December falls inside the Barn Owl nesting season at mid-latitudes (a month earlier in the South).
What do barn owls eat in December?
Voles and rats.
Sources
- Barn Owl — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Barn Owl life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Barn Owl — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- 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.