Scout Projects
Hunter L. Zeman
Scouting America ~ Eagle Scout Project
Troop 41 ~ Johnsonville, PA
Birds of Prey Nesting Boxes
September 2025
Who am I?
Hello, I’m Hunter Zeman. I’m a scout from troop 41, located in Johnsonville, Pennsylvania. I love the outdoors and nature, and I want the best for the wildlife around us. For my Eagle Scout project, bird is the word! I’ve made several boxes for three species of raptors, or birds of prey. These houses are made for the Barred Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, and American Kestrel. These birds are responsible for regulating populations of many small animals, so it’s important to ensure their survival.
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What is this project?
There are several boxes in the forested area, as well as demonstrative examples along the trail, and more located in the education center for future owl-related programming. Check them out if you want to see what they look like, especially if you are interested in making your own!
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Why owls?
Owls and other birds of prey are incredibly important to the ecosystem. These birds mainly feed on small mammals, rodents in particular making up most of their diet. This makes them one of the primary predators keeping them in check. Without the birds, rodents could overpopulate, devouring important plants and indirectly harming other animals and people. Because of this, making sure they persist in areas where rodents are common is very important.
Learn more about the species the project focuses on below.
Barred Owl
Strix varia
The Barred Owl is a large, stout owl identifiable by its distinctive dark brown eyes (unlike most owls with yellow eyes) and plumage marked with horizontal bars on the chest and vertical streaks on the belly, giving it its name. They lack ear tufts, contributing to their large, round head appearance. Their diet is varied and opportunistic, primarily consisting of small mammals like mice, voles, squirrels, and rabbits, but also includes birds, amphibians (frogs, salamanders), reptiles (snakes, lizards), large insects, and even aquatic creatures like crayfish and fish, which can sometimes tinge their breast feathers pink. Barred Owls are highly vocal, with a characteristic hooting call often translated as "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?", and they also produce a range of other barks, gurgles, trills, and shrieks. They inhabit mature forests, particularly near water sources such as swamps and river bottoms, throughout much of eastern North America. While primarily nocturnal, they can sometimes be seen and heard hunting or calling during the day.
Eastern Screech Owl
Megascops asio
The Eastern Screech Owl is a small, compact owl with a large head and prominent ear tufts that can be raised, giving it a distinctive silhouette. They exhibit striking plumage polymorphism, occurring in two main color morphs: gray and rufous (reddish-brown), both providing excellent camouflage against tree bark. Their eyes are yellow. This owl is far more often heard than seen, known for its distinctive tremolo call and a descending whinny that can sound like a horse. Eastern Screech Owls are adaptable, inhabiting most types of wooded areas, including suburban parks and backyards, especially near water. Their diet is exceptionally broad for an owl of their size, consisting of a wide array of insects, earthworms, crayfish, tadpoles, frogs, lizards, small mammals (like mice and bats), and small birds. They are strictly nocturnal, typically roosting in tree cavities or nest boxes during the day.
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
The American Kestrel is the smallest and most colorful falcon in North America, exhibiting clear sexual dimorphism. Males have striking slate-blue wings that contrast with a rusty-red back and tail, while females have similar warm reddish tones on their wings, back, and tail, but with more prominent barring. They have two vertical black stripes on their face. Kestrels are commonly seen perched on wires or poles in open country, meadows, grasslands, and even urban areas, from which they hunt. They are also known for their distinctive hovering flight, flapping rapidly into the wind to spot prey below. Their diet is diverse, including a high proportion of large insects like grasshoppers, beetles, and moths, especially in summer, as well as small mammals (voles, mice), small birds, lizards, and even earthworms. Their most common call is a sharp, repeated "killy, killy, killy," often given when excited or alarmed. American Kestrels are cavity nesters, utilizing natural tree cavities, old woodpecker holes, or readily accepting artificial nest boxes.
