08/04/2026
Happy International Owl Awareness Day! Today, August 4, is a day to celebrate owls, our beloved nocturnal raptors and nature’s best pest control. It’s also a day to provide awareness on how we can help protect them. According to the American Bird Conservancy, almost two-thirds thirds of our North American owl species are at risk due to changing weather patterns, extreme weather events, and habitat loss.
How you can give a hoot:
- For rodent control, use raptor-safe traps instead of poisons or sticky traps to control rodents. Rodenticides can kill raptors and other predators when they eat rodents that have ingested the poison. (For example, anticoagulent rat poisons cause fatal internal bleeding not only for the rodent but the raptor that found it.) Because of this, these rodenticides can actually increase rodent populations over time by eliminating their natural predators. Sticky traps are not only inhumane, but they often trap more than the target species.
- Build nest boxes in areas where dead trees or nesting cavities are scarce. It’s also free pest control. 👍🏻
- Take down soccer nets when not in use. As juvenile owls hone their new flight and hunting skills, their goal, perhaps a rat or mouse, may lie just beyond a net. These less-experienced young birds are so focused on hunting that they don’t always see a soccer net in the dark and get caught while zeroing in on their target. Adult owls also suffer injuries from netting entanglement. Old barbed wire and baling twine are also hazardous to owls and all birds of prey.
- Be careful not to litter. Tossing food out of a vehicle window attracts rodents and other scavengers to the roadside, which in turn attracts their predators. Collisions with vehicles are a common threat impacting owl populations for this reason.
Owls play a crucial role as predators, controlling populations of rodents and insects. Their natural pest control helps maintain ecological balance and benefits agricultural areas by reducing crop damage. Let’s all do what we can to help protect these fascinating and beneficial birds and preserve our inter-connected ecosystem. Have a great day! 🦉
