In the strict sense of the word, owls do not construct nests in the same way
as songbirds do. Instead they are opportunistic nesters, using ready-made
sites or taking over the abandoned nests of other birds.
Owls species that breed in open terrain are often ground nesters. The Snowy
Owl which favours the Arctic tundra, will use a hollow in the ground which
the female may attempt to scrape out and line with plant material.
Short-
Eared Owls often nest in or beside tussocks of grass; similar sites are
sometimes chosen on rare occasions by Long-Eared Owls and Tawny Owls, both
usually tree-nesting species.
A Saw-Whet Owl stares back confidently from the
security of its nest in a hole in a tree.
The Marsh Owl, the African equivalent of the Short-Eared Owl of Eurasia and
North America, favours extensive marshes and swamps mainly south of the
Sahara.
Holes in trees are another preferred site for a wide variety of owls, the
hollow trunk of a tree is an ideal nest site for Tawny owl chicks. A few
species have adopted the man-made equivalent of these sites - namely, holes
in barns and other outbuildings, and will nest on rafters in the roof, and
will even take to artificial platforms provided by considerate farmers.
The Elf Owl, the smallest of all owls, favours desert habitats
where it nests and occupies daytime roosts in holes in cacti and trees.
The abandoned nests of crows and birds of prey are also favoured by many owl
species, with sometimes little or no attempt to embellish the previous
owner's construction. The Great Horned Owl the most wide-ranging species in
the Americas may occupy a nest in a huge cactus in the deserts of Arizona.
Lastly, natural rock crevices or ledges are used by a few species, including
that most impressive of owls, the Eagle Owl.
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