Rat Patrol

Steve Stoler reports

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LITTLE ELM — Jim Fox walked into his barn and saw two large creatures flying in circles. They are barn owls.

Over the next few days, he learned the two adults had five babies.

Fox called Bonnie Bradshaw of 911 Wildlife, who specializes in finding environmentally friendly solutions when humans discover unwanted animals.

In this case, she helped change the landowner's perception of the owls from pest to friend.

"This is the best possible rat control you can have," she said.

Fox said he really didn't want to turn away the gorgeous creatures who had found a home in his barn. "I wanted to do it in the right fashion and found out that you really don't have to disturb them," he said. "You can actually provide a nest for them, and they'll go back to that nest."

It's called the Hungry Owl project, and the technique has been used in California for years.

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Setting up an owl-friendly nesting box.

Human friends provide nesting boxes designed specifically for owls.

"This is where they fly in and out," Bradshaw said, pointing to a round hole in Fox's barn. The nesting box will be placed over that opening.

"If you build it, they will come," she said. "Barn owls are desperately looking for nest sites, and so when we put up a little box like this, that's exactly what they're looking for and they'll be very happy to find it."

For Jim Fox, keeping the owl family close will reap big benefits: They eat about two dozen rats and mice every night, and there's no need for pesticides.

Hundreds of owls and hawks who eat poisoned rodents die every year.

Animal control officers in Frisco, where some neighborhoods have been dealing with an influx of rodent pests, said they were unaware of the Hungry Owl Project before our story. They said it sounds interesting and they will be seeking out more information.

E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com