Makers of the first plastic nest box for attracting barn owls announces  San Joaquin Sulphur Company as their distributor in the Lodi/Sacramento area.

The Barn Owl Box is the first lightweight, long lasting plastic nest box for attracting barn owls for natural rodent control. Mark Browning, an owl researcher for the Pittsburgh Zoo, designed this innovative nest box to make it easy for vineyards and orchards to use barn owls as part of their sustainable farming practices. Attached to this email you will find a recent article from the Lodi Winegrowers Association Newsletter.

San Joaquin Sulphur Company, a full service irrigation supplier, is located on 720 North Sacramento Street in Lodi. For customer convenience, they will have The Barn Owl Box on display and will keep a number in inventory. They can be reached at 209-368-6676.

The nest box is constructed of heavy-duty, molded plastic and, in contrast to wooden boxes, will last indefinitely. It features a robust rain guard and a landing ledge. The front can be removed by loosening six nylon thumb screws, and an inner liner slides out for quick, efficient cleaning. An acrylic viewing window in the rear allows owners to safely observe their birds.

The white outer box and the dark inner box maintain an envelope of ventilated air between them to stay cool in full sun. The box comes with a heavy duty steel mounting plate and all the hardware for installing on either metal or wooden posts. The lightweight box can be installed in under one hour by a single worker.

Barn owls have long been known to be important contributors to rodent control in vineyards, orchards, and crop farms. A single family will consume as many as 3000 pocket gophers, voles, or mice per year. Barn owls thrive in close proximity to human activity; they are not territorial, so they can be established in dense colonies; they produce large numbers of hungry young per year; and once established will inhabit the same nest boxes for generations. They are the perfect answer to year-round rodent suppression.

For comprehensive information on barn owls, natural rodent control, common pests, and methods of installation, visit the Barn Owl Box Company website at www.barnowlbox.com, or visit San Joaquin Sulphur Company to see The Barn Owl Box on display.