Little Owl Boxes

The Little Owl, just 22 cm in length, is in acute danger of extinction. Its main habitats are gardens, small orchards or meadows containing white willows. Depending on the season, it lives mainly on insects such as crickets, as well as woodlice and mice. It frequently fails to colonise an area because of the lack of suitable nesting sites. Help is now at hand with the SCHWEGLER Little Owl Boxes of which there are four different types. Ornithologists recommend always hanging a minimum of three boxes immediately adjacent to one another since the birds will use one or more to store food and young birds will use them as shelter. Such measures will considerably improve the survival prospects for this species.
  

[Pic. 1]: Little Owl

Bedding:
Coarse sawdust or wood shavings and a mixture of sand and sawdust are ideal as bedding. Each of the four Little Owl boxes is supplied with a detailed description and maintenance instructions, and the aluminium nails needed to attach it to a branch.
 
Material:
All the boxes have an aperture for inspection and cleaning purposes. They are made of a ring of wood or wood-concrete (depending on the model) surrounded by wood batons and roofing felt. They are supplied together with flexible metal fixing strips and aluminium nails.
 
Assembly:
The boxes should be placed on a horizontal branch of a fruit tree or in white willows, with the entrance hole facing the trunk. This discourages interference by passers-by and also makes it easier for the birds to fly in and out.
   

 


 [Pic. 2]: Type No. 20

Type No. 20


without protection against martens

External shape: round
Length: 83 cm
Interior of brood chamber: Ø 18 cm
Width of entrance hole: Ø 65 mm

Little Owl Box No. 20 w.o. prot. order no.: 00 240 / 2


[Pic. 3]: Sectional view: Type No. 20A
Type No. 20A
with protection against martens
 
Two staggered internal entrance holes provide protection against martens.
 
External shape: round, like No. 20
Length: 83 cm
Interior of brood chamber: Ø 18 cm
Width of entrance hole: Ø 65 mm
 
Little Owl Box No. 20A with prot. order no.: 00 241 / 9

  


[Pic. 4]: Sectional view: Type No. 21

Type No. 21
with protection against martens, and drainage
 
This model is rectangular in shape and has two staggered internal entrance holes provide protection against martens. In addition, an internal mesh provides drainage for moisture from droppings.
 
External shape: rectangular
Length: 83 cm
Interior of brood chamber: Ø 18 cm
Width of entrance hole: 65 mm
  
Little Owl Box No. 21 with prot. order no.: 00 242 / 6

   
 



[Pic. 5]: Little Owl Box Type 22



[Pic. 6]: Young Little Owls

No. 22 Little Owl Box



This model has five special features:

1. Viewed end-on it forms a quadrant shape.
 
2. The design of the two sides of the roof provides an air hole running along the entire ridge which is very important for providing ventilation.
  
3. One side of the roof can be removed to provide easy access for inspection and cleaning.
  
4. A telescopic, galvanised steel rod is ideal for level mounting on trees which, because of their size or lack of horizontal branches (e.g., a pear tree), would normally be unsuitable for Little Owl boxes.

Dimensions: Length 93 x width 20 x height 20 cm approx.

Width of entrance hole: 64 mm
 
Little Owl Box No. 22 with prot. order no.: 00 243 / 3