Owls are known for monogamy and remaining in the same area for most of their lives, but does this also mean they always use the same nest or roost site year after year?
The short answer to this question is generally yes. Owls preferably will use the same nest site year after year if this is possible. There are a few reasons why this may not be possible and we will dive into those in this article.
Owls are not nest builders, they tend to be nest stealers! Owls will either take over an already established nest site from another bird species or nest in man-made structures and owl boxes. Owls will also make do with platforms and small cavities if necessary so they are certainly not craftsman when it comes to building the perfect nest site. Often nest sites have what is known as a universal appeal, which means that site appeals to all owl / bird species as a good place to lay eggs and therefore all nest sites are re-used year after year almost certainly as there will always be a bird to come along and like the look of each roosting site. If an owl dies and their nest / roosting site is left unoccupied, it is almost certain another Owl will find it quickly.
Different owl species may be slightly varied in their nesting preferences so we can consider these differences also. Let’s start with the Barn Owl who tend to reuse the same nest sites yearly and it is very common that they will return to the same site for the rest of their life. Barn owls especially are known to have very particular taste when it comes to nesting and areas that humans might believe are perfect for nesting may be universally avoided by all Barn owls, for reasons we are yet to fully understand. Owls can be picky but they are universally agreeable with one another with these preferences. Barn owls nest sites have been documented to have been occupied for so many years, that often there can be many generations of the same family that have used the same nest site.
Whereas if we look at Great Horned owls, they are not always so lucky with their nesting sites. They probably do try to go back to the same nests yearly to reuse them but it seems that their nesting preferences include much more dense foliage which doesn’t always withstand all weather conditions and the test of time. Therefore their nests can be seldom reused as the nest deteriorates as time passes. These nests are built by other species and Great Horned owls do not participate in creating the nest but when they move into an already existing nest they often line the inside with various material such as leaves, bits of their prey such as fur, their own pellets, leaves and foliage and their own feathers, and therefore this combination tends to deteriorate unless the original nest site was created particularly sturdy, then it may be possible to re-occupy. Sometimes, and we are not sure why, Great horned owls can occupy the same nest site for a few years and then for no reason at all, just not return the following year.
Likewise, it’s important to remember that owls do not create their own nest, so if they came across the nest of another bird and occupied it one year, the following year it may be re-occupied by the original occupier who created the nest in the first place (quite rightly so!). Thankfully owls are fine if they cannot find an abandoned nest as they are happy to lay their eggs on flat man-made structures if it seems safely guarded from the weather and from danger.
Tawny Owls traditionally use the same nest yearly unless the area becomes disturbed by other bird species or becomes louder as they choose nesting sites that are quiet. The often-monogamous pair will separate for a while between breeding seasons and then come back and re-bond again during Autumn nearby the old nest site, perhaps to check the suitability of using the nest again for another year. Also a great way to always know how to find each other again! A problem that often can arise is that raising young in a nest can often leave nest sites messy and hard to reuse.
Therefore, in summary, owls do use the same nest and roost sites if possible but often nest and roost sites have been damaged, deteriorated or are stolen by other owls / bird species the following year and therefore cannot be re-occupied. Owls do not create their own nests so rely on already crafted nests and man-made areas for their breeding.