Raptor boxes are big here. Two species which feed on grassland micromammals, the barn owl and the eurasian kestrel, are rather common and it was realised that availability of nesting sites was one of the limiting factors on population. A concerted program of putting up nest boxes has yielded dividends and we now have very healthy populations of both species and a healthy population of boxes themselves. Looking out of my bedroom window I can see an owl box I very much hope will be occupied this year across the road, a friend has just invited me to her mothers to check out her owls and then there is this structure at a reserve down the road.
The top box is an owl box, bottom is a kestrel box. The two species will coexist quite happily although this kestrel is about to get quite a surprise as he investigates the wrong box. Immediately after this he did one at high speed looking rather flustered so I presume the owls are hiding out all day.
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