Nest Box Plans
Red-phase eastern screech owl peeking out of a nesting box.
As a family, school class, youth group, or civic organization, building nesting boxes for screech owls and kestrels is a great service project. Download this PDF with information to get you started - Help cavity-nesting raptors in Iowa!
Check with a local natural resource professional or local landowners to find a place to hang them. Plan a field day to help hang the nest boxes (or at least observe). Plan to revisit the site at a later date to check if it is being used. Remember to be respectful of wildlife and watch from a distance using a telephoto lens or binoculars.
Perhaps partner with a county conservation board (in Iowa) or landowner to have someone check it regularly and give photos/updates to the class.
Other nest box plans (all open as PDF)
- Screech owl plan from Wildlife Center of Virginia
- Screech owl plan from NestWatch
- Barn owl plan from NestWatch
- Barn owl plan from Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Barn owl brochure with plan from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources
- Barred owl plan from NestWatch
- Barred owl plan from Wildlife Center of Virginia