A Barn Owl (Tyto alba) with a wild vole during an extreme cold spell in Utah. Normally, Barn Owls hunt at night, however during periods of very cold weather they need to also hunt during the day. Photo by Ed MacKerrow
Ed MacKerrow discussing the ins and outs of Barn Owl nest boxes at the July 9 Chama Peak Land Alliance Backyard Biodiversity workshop. Photo by Sage Faulkner
BY ED MACKERROW AND SAGE FAULKNER
Chama Peak Land Alliance
Backyard Biodiversity Series
On July 9, 2024, the Chama Peak Land Alliance (CPLA) hosted an innovative workshop on using Barn Owl nest boxes as a natural solution for rodent control. Ironically, held in one of the New Mexico Producers Cooperative barns near Abiquiu, the event brought together 18 attendees eager to learn about harnessing nature’s own pest management system.
The workshop, part of CPLA’s Backyard Biodiversity program sponsored by the Carroll Petrie Foundation, featured insights from experts Ed MacKerrow and Sage Faulkner. Participants gained valuable knowledge about promoting natural rodent control by providing nest boxes and raptor perches, effectively inviting nature’s predators to assist in pest management.
Ed MacKerrow shared his experience adapting successful Barn Owl box designs for use in New Mexico. He drew inspiration from Steve Simmons’ pioneering work in California’s Central Valley, where owl boxes have been effectively used for gopher control on farms. MacKerrow’s implementation of these designs in Nambe, New Mexico, has shown promising results in local rodent management.
The workshop highlighted growing challenges for Barn Owls: secondary poisoning from rat/mouse poisons and losing their preferred nesting sites—old wooden barns and buildings. The presenters emphasized a community-based approach that encourages multiple barn owl boxes and a total refrain from using rodenticides.
The effectiveness of Barn Owls as natural pest controllers is remarkable. MacKerrow’s observations from his Nambe project revealed that once Barn Owls began nesting in the provided boxes, they brought an average of 11.6 gophers and 14.2 mice to a single nest box per night. These numbers illustrate the significant impact a family of Barn Owls can have on rodent populations, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pest control methods.
The workshop’s ultimate goal is to promote the widespread use of Barn Owl boxes throughout New Mexico and Colorado, mirroring their successful implementation in California’s vineyards, farms, and ranches. Landowners and farmers can attract and support Barn Owl populations by providing these artificial nesting sites, creating a symbiotic relationship that benefits both the owls and agricultural interests.
This nature-based approach to pest management aligns with growing trends in sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices. By leveraging barn owls’ natural hunting abilities, farmers and landowners can reduce their reliance on potentially harmful rodenticides while supporting local biodiversity.
The workshop presented examples and photographs of nocturnal predator-prey relationships, mainly owls and gophers, versus diurnal relationships, primarily hawks and squirrels.