PEST CONTROL
Insects, rats, and mice are a constant problem for farmers. Different methods are used to control these pests. One Glades sugarcane grower decided to try a natural method instead of poisoning them. About thirty-years ago, Wayne Boynton was losing crops to rats and mice. To rid his fields of them, he brought in barn owls. Boynton, now known as the Godfather of Barn Owls set up large birdhouses all over his sugarcane fields for the owls to nest in. As soon as the owls moved in, they began catching and eating the rats and mice. A pair of nesting owls can eat at least 1,500 rodents a year. This is one method of using Mother Nature to control pests instead of using chemicals. (https://pbchistory.org/education-a-story-of-agriculture/)
Barn Owls to Protect Sugar Cane
Despite their scary reputation, however, the once common owls are becoming endangered in some areas and need some human help, such as the construction of nesting and roosting boxes. Raid and his colleagues are testing models of barn owl boxes mounted on posts to see how receptive the birds are to such homes. Sugar cane grower Wayne Boynton, who has earned the nickname “Godfather of Barn Owls,” says owls have moved into all the boxes he has put up on his 3,000-acre farm. “It’s like [the movie] Field of Dreams,” he says. “If you build it, they will come. It’s that simple.”
Echoing a sentiment heard elsewhere around the world about other birds, Boynton believes that “you can’t have too many barn owls.” They are, indeed, extraordinary allies. (PBS NATURE’s Extraordinary Birds https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/extraordinary-birds-feathered-friends/1905/
Spooky Owls Natural Rodent Control for Sugar Farmers
Sugar cane grower Wayne Boynton, who has been using various models for several years, said barn owls have moved into all the boxes he has put up on his 3,000-acre farm.
Boynton’s pioneering spirit in installing the boxes has earned him the nickname “Godfather of Barn Owls.” But Boynton said he’s happy to provide testimonials for the birds’ pest control prowess and the homemade boxes.
“People ask me what they need to do to attract the owls to the boxes, and the answer is nothing,” Boynton said. “It’s like ‘Field of Dreams;’ if you build it, they will come. It’s that simple.” (The Ledger https://www.theledger.com/story/news/1999/10/30/spooky-owls-natural-rodent-control-for-sugar-farmers/26540163007/