Barn owls have been roosting in our two Mexican palm trees for years. The dead palm fronds (aka petticoat) provide a perfect sheltered spot out of the sun and wind, but with plenty of perches and room to move around. Recently, we saw newly planted grape vineyards with palm trees along the perimeter, and wondered if it was to attract these amazing nocturnal predators. Look under palm trees with petticoats for owl pellets (balls of regurgitated rodent fur & bones) to see if owls roost there.

When we heard a couple of owls doing a lot of screeching and noticed shredded material dropping out of the trees back in 2008, we erected a nesting box on a 20 foot pole.  Since then, the owls have been laying eggs and raising their young in the nest box every summer. Pictures and stories were posted on our old website here.