Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/619725
100 WINES&VINES January 2016 GRAPEGROWING 100 WINES&VINES January 2016 Q Where do I put the nest boxes? Put the boxes up wherever it is convenient for you. They can go in trees, on posts out in the field, on the wall of a building. Each site has positive and negative points. In trees, the birds of prey will receive some protection from the elements, but the young will be exposed to predators. On a post, the young will be pro- tected from most predators, but the box may get hot during a heat wave. On a building, whatever is below the box will probably get splattered with fecal matter. Q Where should I not put the nest boxes? Don't put nest boxes above locations where vehicles or equipment are parked. Outside your bedroom window is not a good idea either, because the young birds of prey can compete very noisily each time the adults return to the nest with food. Owls prefer not to hunt in the area of their nest box so as not to attract the attention of potential preda- tors. Multiple nest boxes in this vicinity will solve this problem because the hunting areas of the different nesting pairs will overlap. Q How many nest boxes do I need? Six boxes across 50 acres is a good start. Figure you have enough nest boxes when 20% to 30% are not being used at any time during the year. If you put up several nest boxes in the same field, the owls' territorial instincts will not A R C H I T E C T U R E D E S I G N P L A N N I N G M A N A G E M E N T 7 0 7 . 9 3 5 . 7 9 4 4 www.strataap.com 1_6 Ad_2015.indd 1 11/5/2015 10:54:11 AM When the chicks have hatched, you can safely peek in to see how many you have. A variety of perching sites help attract birds of prey.