A pair of barn owls with young make an even larger dent in the rodent population. Most owls lay their eggs in early spring. Owls do not build their own nest. Depending on the type of owl it may use an old crows nest, hawk nest, woodpecker hole or hollowed out tree. Owl feathers are very soft, this helps them make less noise as they fly.
Owls have a poor sense of smell.
This is why Great Horned Owls are able to eat skunks. Female owls are usually larger than their mates. Many young owls jump out of their nest before they can fly. They climb out on tree branches where predators can't reach them. Parents will take care of them.