Sometimes owls hunt small animals at night, which can be a concern for homeowners with pets or small livestock.You can change the habitat to make hunting more difficult for owls or use frightening techniques to keep them away.At night, great horned owls and barn owls are most likely to hunt in a quiet, open field where they can see from atop a high perch.
Step 1: If you see the owl, clap your hands and yell.
Humans and owls try to avoid each other.If you see an owl on your property, be loud and aggressive.Setting up a fire pit and chairs in your yard can deter an owl from coming near your home.The great horned owl only attacks people if its nest and young are threatened.A great horned owl nest can only be found high in trees.If you must walk near a great horned owl nest, wear a helmet or use an umbrella.
Step 2: Use aluminum cans or wood to make a noise device.
The owls don't like loud noises.Try tying up aluminum cans close together on a string and hanging them from your porch to keep an owl away.A wooden clapper can be made by hinging together 2 pieces of wood and making a loud noise.If you see an owl in your yard, use the wooden clapper to make a loud banging noise.The same noise can be less effective over time as owls become used to some noises.Try to use different noise methods.
Step 3: Not at the owl, but a firework or gun with blanks.
A loud noise that scares off an owl is a gun.It is illegal to kill an owl in the U.S., so be sure to keep a safe distance from the owl.Before using fireworks or guns to frighten an owl, you should check with local government authorities.
Step 4: If possible, remove perching areas from the vicinity.
The tops of trees and other high structures are where owls like to look for their prey.If you can, remove trees and other perches that are within 100 yards of your animals' enclosures or your home.Before you have the trees or other perches removed, be sure that they are on your property and not a neighbor's.If they are on a neighbor's property, discuss your concerns about owls in the area and see if removing perching locations is an option.
Step 5: Place roosting spikes on perching areas.
If you can't remove a tree or other perching area, try placing large roosting spikes where you have seen owls hanging out.Pigeon spikes are often called "pigeon spikes" because they are used to deter pigeons from perching.owls will sometimes use a roof ledge as their place to spy on smaller animals, so placing these spikes near your gutter can be helpful.The spikes prevent birds from gathering in a favorite location and they are a legal way to get birds to move.
Step 6: If your barriers don't work, call the professional wildlife authorities.
If an owl has a nest nearby, it will find other places to perch and hunt.If a nearby owl nest is causing you problems, don't attempt to relocate the owls on your own.The injuries to owls' beaks and talons can be caused by them becoming defensive of their nest.Professional authorities will give you guidance on how to deal with owl nest problems.Professional methods will be used to relocate the owl and its nest.
Step 7: There are night lights near your home or livestock area.
In the dark, owls prefer to stay away from well-lit areas.They don't like strobe lights, but there are owl-specific night lights on the market that can be particularly effective.You can find bird-deterrent lights online or at a store.According to the product instructions, install the light near the area you want the owl to avoid.Chickens cannot see the light at night and having lights on can disrupt their sleep cycles.
Step 8: Use a round mirror to trick the owl.
There is a round, globe-like mirror available on the market used to deter predatory birds.In the areas you want the owl kept away from, place the mirror in the flight path.The owl may not return to the area because it thinks it has predatory competition when it sees its reflection in the mirror.You can find globe shaped mirrors at home improvement stores.
Step 9: An owl or hawk is a good decoy.
Similar to the idea of a predatory mirror, using a bird decoy may keep owls away.Owls tend to avoid areas that another bird has entered.To prevent the owl from figuring out the decoy is not a real bird, you need to move it around once or twice a week.
Step 10: Your yard should have a scarecrow.
Setting up a scarecrow in your yard or livestock area is an option.To prevent the owl from realizing it's not a real person, you'll need to move the location and position 3-4 times a week.This is a high-powered water hose with a movement sensor that blasts water toward an animal, if you don't want to put in the effort of moving a scarecrow around.Before using this option, make sure the water pressure is not lethal to an owl.
Step 11: Animals should be brought inside at night.
If you keep your dog or cat inside at night, it will be less likely to be attacked by a great horned owl.Extreme hunger will cause these owls to attack household pets.Because of their size, puppies and kittens are more at risk than other animals.Young litters should be kept inside a structure at night.
Step 12: Chickens and rabbits should be kept in a pen.
Chickens and rabbits are often kept in pens to prevent escape and provide protection from weather, but be sure that your enclosure has no gaps larger than 2.5 cm that an owl can break into.The most effective pen has a small wooden building structure with an outdoor area for eating and lounging during the day that is enclosed in 1 in ( 2.5 cm) poultry wire.Bringing your animals into a wooden structure at night will prevent them from being seen by predatory birds.
Step 13: Chickens can be protected by a rooster.
A rooster is a great way to protect your chickens.Sometimes a rooster will put its own life on the line in order to defend its hens.An attack from a rooster will alert an owl that it will not be easy.Check with your city or county animal control office to find out if roosters are allowed in urban areas.