Minimum flight sizes for Euro eagle owls and bengal eagle ow

[MyHopper]

Please could people shed some light on the minimum size i should build a flight to keep in it;-

Bengal Eagle Owl (single)
European Eagle Owl (single)
Little Owl (pair)
Burrowing owl (pair)

Thanks
My

[Bubo]

pardon my ignorance but what do you call a flight? :oops: do you mean a pen/aviary? if you are going to fly your owls then the minimum size pens for your birds would be

eagle owls : 12ft x 16ft x (9-14 ft high)

for the smaller ones (burrowing and little owls) 5-6 ft x 10 ft x 8-12 ft high

if you intend to keep them in the aviary (which is not a good idea unless you have a specific reason for doing so) then the bigger the better.

hope this helps and i hope i understood properly it's so embarassing when i dont :mrgreen:

[MyHopper]

yes you did understand!!, what if i were to brred the smaller owls-would these sizes still apply or will smaller/bigger do?

[Wightwings]

Bubo, I need your advise please. I know you are not supposed to teather owls and i am currently having a long running argument with some one i know who is doing so. Is it against any particular law as such or just guidelines etc set down by the likes of DEFRA. i would appreciate your advise on this subject its not my strongest

chris

[MickeyDredd]

WW

Can't think why it would be against the law to tether owls and not other BOP and if you consider how many centres etc keep owls tethered I dont think it can be illegal or against DEFRA guidelines to do so.

[Varmint]

I dont think it's against anyones Guidlines, but i personally try to minimise the amount of time i tether any owl, preffering to keep them loose lofted.

[Wightwings]

thanks i agree, i was almost sure tho that i had read somewhere it was no longer an option to tether them and i know one or twoo centres down here that changed last year and no longer do so.

thanks for that

chris

[Saker-Clive]

Is it only centres that are now not allowed to tether owls? I know something was sorted out last year or the year before on recomendations of JPJ but never did take much notice as it didn't affect me!!!

[Bubo]

Hi WW, i wasnt ignoring your post i just didnt see it (believe it or not it does happen i can actually keep off of here for a day :wink: ) but i can only echo what varmint and others have said, they are only guidelines BUT centres may not do it. I am hoping centres here will adopt the same attitude as only one out of the many centres i have seen free loft their owls and this one is totally **** cos they have very different species in the same pens :shock: If JPJ came over here she would faint :(
bubo

just had a thought, if i fibbed and said it was illegal on here do you think peeps would believe me and not do it :roll: :P oh..ok only a thought

[Ben C]

Myhopper are you going to fly them every day? :)

Can we see some pics of these burrowing owls? :)

[Bubo]

I forgot answer the initial question. If you were to make a breeding pen for your owls they should be a lot bigger these are only minimal sizes if you are going to fly your owls.

bubo

[Ben C]

Bubo........can you train scops owls? (off thread I know so PM me if you can)

[Wightwings]

thanks Bubo. I honestly did think is was general practice and not just for centres :roll: :cry: clears up my argument anyhow

[ColdZero]

...

[Spudy]

@ww i free loft oscer my wifes eeo in a mews 12x12x10 now he was in 8x8x10 but hes flown every two to three days unless im busy but hes in the moult at mo and just free lofted mate i personally never tether him but i dont think theres a law against doing that mate...spud

forgot to add the same as bubo with kadabra he also sits with me and nick most nights in the room he loves the attention and we love him in here with us lol :D

[Saker-Clive]

burrowing owls are awesome, and very cute when they poke their heads out. However i hate it when people ask for the 'minimum'. Surely this the totally wrong way to go about keeping any animal, giving an animal only the bare minimum to survive is a very low quality of life. Something as simple as providing room to move should be a priority and imo shouldn't be minimalised for the sake of convenience. Don't mean to be too rude...

I think it's best to know the minimum size; that way, once known, a person can make sure they have the minimum requirement before going ahead and getting a bird in cramped conditions. :wink:

Forewarned is forearmed :?

[Bubo]

i wouldnt have it any other way, what is really cool is he can choose where he wants to be, in the aviary, in his barn or down here with us, all is linked. i just love it when he comes in and comes looking for me :lol:

well said SS

[Wightwings]

giving an animal only the bare minimum to survive is a very low quality of life.

i think you are getting a little carried away again CZ. not all people hve the room for very large flyts, this does not imply they are giving the minimun to the bird to survive!! I DO know peeps that tether owls and also peeps with small flyts but with VERY happy healthy birds. keeping a bird in a 24ft square flyt does not ensure quality of life dude. :D :D it the rest that goes with it :wink:

[Bubo]

true WW but i dont agree on titchy aviaries the bird needs room i would hate to be stuck in a room the size of my little toilet all day everyday even if i did go out for a walk now and then.

[Wightwings]

me niether Bubs. if you hav the room go for it. :wink: :D

[MyHopper]

Looks like im gonna be baring towards a pair of bengals, i intend on flying 2-3 times per week, and leaving them alone when in season, anyone help with what sort of price i should expect to pay for a pair, i've been offered a proven pair, 1yr old male, 2yr old female, want to know if i aint gonna be robbed!!!!!!!
thanks
Mike