What We Do
Carmel Owls is dedicated to the installation of Great Horned Owl platforms in Carmel-by-the-Sea and neighboring Monterey Peninsula cities. Through the identification of suitable trees, the publication of easy-to-build owl platform assembly schematics, and a list of nearby cherry picker rentals, we make the process straightforward and simple to follow.
Our Goals
Carmel Owls' goals over the next year are to build and install 7 to 9 owl platforms to encourage Great Horned Owls to nest and subsequently reduce the growing rat and vermin population in Carmel-by-the-Sea and the surrounding Monterey Peninsula.
Special Offer!
If you live in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Point, Carmel Woods, or Hatton Fields and have a suitable tree with safe and easy access for a cherry picker, we'll build and install your platform for free. Let us know!
Have You Got Rats?
Great Horned Owls may be your salvation
Great Horned Owls predate rats and other rodents in the forest unlike barn owls that hunt in meadows and vineyards (and live in owl boxes, not owl platforms). Many cities in the Monterey Peninsula are experiencing costly rat infestations, including the chewing of car wiring assemblies and HVAC wiring, as well as nesting in crawlspaces, walls, and attics of homes.
Repair costs can range from $10,000 for HVAC wiring to $15,000 for chewed car wiring. In addition to costly repairs, rats inflict damage in walls and substructures, as well as bring fleas and terrible smells into homes. Eradication can be costly and time consuming.
Rats can reproduce at an alarming rate. Litters typically number 6 to 12. Females can become pregnant a day after giving birth and have an average 3 week gestation period. Newborn rats can become pregnant after 2 to 3 months. With healthy forests in the peninsula, residential waste bins, and large amounts of restaurant waste, the rat population has grown explosively as it has done in large cities like San Francisco and NYC.
Killing rats with poisons (rodenticides) is effective for controlling infestations but poses severe, often fatal, risks to children, pets, and non-target wildlife. Poisoning rats is not recommended unless performed by a licensed contractor to ensure the rats have been trapped and cannot be consumed by other non-target animals.
Rat Infestations
Rise of the Rats
Rat Poisons
Have You Got Rats?
Great Horned Owls are nature’s way of safely predating rodents
A Great Horned Owl with fledglings can predate up to seven rodents daily. And who doesn’t love to hear an owl’s soft ‘coo’ at night?
Listen to a Great Horned Owl coo
Why Great Horned Owls Love Nesting Platforms
Why a little love can go a long way
They Don't Build Nests
Great Horned Owls are unique among birds in that they almost never construct their own nests. Instead, they typically take over abandoned nests built by other large birds, such as red-tailed hawks, crows, or herons, or use natural tree cavities, cliff ledges, or broken tree snags.
Habitat Loss
As old pine trees and redwoods with suitable natural nesting sites are removed, the availability of natural options declines. This forces owls to seek out alternative, safe locations to raise their young.
Great Horned Owls are highly adaptable and will readily use artificial platforms, baskets, or open-topped nest boxes when natural sites are scarce. Providing these platforms can directly support local populations by offering a necessary, stable location for nesting.
Adaptability
Nest Durability
Natural stick nests can deteriorate quickly after one season's use. Sturdy, well-built artificial platforms can provide a more durable and reliable nesting location that can be reused in subsequent years, increasing nesting success.
Great Horned Owl Platforms
There are two distinct types of Great Horned Owl platforms typically positioned 25 to 35 ft from the ground with unrestricted flight access away from busy roads and power lines.
Atop Topped Pines or Redwoods
Material cost $80 with about 4 - 5 hours of labor. Installation is with four (4) star drive lag screws through the platform base into the top of the topped trunk. Check out how to build this platform on the schematics page.
Against Vertical Pine or Redwood Trunks
Material cost $130 with about 5 - 6 hours of labor. Installation includes a metal male and female mounting bracket and under platform support. Lag screws are required for the female bracket into the trunk. Check out how to build this platform on the schematics page.
These platforms are installed with a rented cherry picker (typical cost is $300 per half day) from Home Depot that must be towed into place. Suitable trees must be in a level area alongside the street of the owner's property or along their driveway. Once the cherry picker is safely positioned, a platform can be installed in roughly 20 to 45 minutes.
AI photo with a real Carmel Owls platform
AI photo with a real Carmel Owls platform
Cherry Picker Rental
Support Great Horned Owls in your neighborhood
If you would like to support the building and installation of Great Horned Owl platforms, please donate on the Carmel Owls GoFundMe page, and if you have a suitable tree for a Great Horned Owl platform let us know.
And of course, to stay informed, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook.
Gallery
Snapshots of Great Horned Owls
Contact Us
Let us know if you have a suitable owl platform tree located on your property next to the street or your driveway. The area must be level for a cherry picker access, and clear of power lines.
