Great Horned Owls are highly territorial raptors that fight for their spaces. These predators have no natural enemies and roost on their thrones at the top of the food chain. 

We chose to biomimic this great bird of prey as a scarecrow because it makes sense to work with nature to provide safe and humane pest control.

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Why Natural Enemy Scarecrow® Owls by Dalen?

Dalen’s Natural Enemy Scarecrow® Owls for the garden are lifelike, environmentally friendly products that effectively deter unwanted visitors without harmful chemicals. Our hand-painted details make them attractive additions to any outdoor space. They add charm and beauty while serving as an effective pest control measure, scaring away birds and pests and protecting your garden and food from being plundered. 

Furthermore, our garden owls are proudly made in the USA, undergoing rigorous testing and certification to meet the highest quality and safety standards. Plus, installing these scare owls is a breeze, as no prior training or expertise is required. Dalen provides clear user/installation instructions to ensure hassle-free installation anywhere you desire. However, it is important to note that Natural Enemy Scarecrow Owls work through biomimicry and should be moved around throughout the season for the best results.

Shop Classic Scare Owls

Our classic scarecrow design belongs in every garden for controlling pests year after year. Big piercing eyes will spook pests, sending them into a sympathetic nervous state of mind, which triggers the “flight” response as they flee from death.

Shop Rotating-Head Owls

Rotating head owls with full range of motion, behaving like a real apex predator, scaring birds and wildlife away from your lawn and garden.

Shop Motorized Owls

Our electric owl decoys will frighten pests away on any day, even when the wind isn’t blowing. SOL-R owl spins automatically and randomly on a timer that changes minute-to-minute. TIGER OWL has a motion-detecting sensor in the rotating head that instantaneously reacts to threats invading the proximity of your garden. 

BIRDWATCHER owl sentry drone is a stationary bird of prey equipped with a surveillance camera for spying on intruders, whether a pest or a person. Log in from your smartphone and keep a lookout on your yard, garden, dock, or porch deck. We live in a funny time where some people believe birds aren’t real but know birdwatching goes both ways.

Shop Other Natural Enemy Scarecrows

We have an assortment of other Natural Enemies for scaring critters out of your garden. Diamondback rattlesnakes, peregrine falcons, and American gators are threatening to many pests and can help control your problems.

Natural Enemy Scarecrow® Scare Owl FAQs

University evidence proves Dalen owl decoys really do scare pests. Dalen’s scare owls have been studied at schools like Linfield College and Cornell University — reporting that the plastic owls are effective deterrents for controlling pests. See our product reviews to find customer testimonials.

Yes, your garden owls will stop working if you do not use them properly! Cornell University reports that plastic owls stop working after a few days. Fake bird deterrent statues are simply a tool, and your job as the gardener is to put your scare owl to correct use. People who are unhappy with our owls typically never move them. You can’t just put it in place, leave it there, and expect it to work! Animals are observant and, with enough time, will figure out that it is a garden decoy! Gardeners who leave their scare owl in the same spot season after season seem to prefer the garden decoration over a functional scarecrow device that really works. 

Natural Enemy Scarecrows work through biomimicry, and a motionless animal isn't lifelike. If you set up an owl and leave it in place for the whole season, pests can easily adapt to its presence, even if its head spins. We recommend using our Natural Enemy Scarecrows as needed and keeping them indoors when out of use.

We recommend moving your garden owl decoy every day. University tests report that the owls work for a few days at a time, but we think it's better to move it before it becomes ineffective. We realize moving the owl daily can be difficult for many people. We offer mounting brackets to make the job easier; simply set up the three brackets in three separate locations and move the owl to a different bracket every day. Other than that, we suggest keeping your owl indoors when out of use. Prevent smart critters from adjusting to your fake owl’s presence when you don’t actively need to protect your harvest!

The rotating-head scare owl does have an advantage over the fixed-head Great Horned Owl because the wind can make it appear more life-like, giving it a sense of movement even when it's mounted in place. While a moving head has a real advantage, the most important aspect of any of our owls is the large size. A big, threatening silhouette with piercing eyes is the menacing scare factor for a pest. If you use your owl decoy for birds, it’s best to reposition your rotating head owl daily, as critters like these will become acclimated to its presence if it sits still, even with a turning head.

Our motorized owl heads work consistently better than the wind-powered version. Windy days can be unpredictable. Cool mornings can have stagnant airflow, with breezes picking up when it heats up later in the day. A motorized owl is more reliable, with the tradeoff that you must keep it in a place where it can stay charged. The solar-powered SOL-R owl spins on a timer, rotating randomly every few minutes. For an instantaneous, motion-sensing response, shop TIGER OWL with an actively turning head that pans back and forth as soon as any pest intrudes within the vicinity.

The camera owl will not work as well as our other owls if you keep it mounted in a single location. Unlike the SOL-R and TIGER OWL, the BIRDWATCHER Camera Owl can be more difficult for gardeners to move around from position to position. The power cord could limit its reach without a generous extension cord. But even with an extension cord, the camera owl must be perched within wifi range. 

A limited wifi range could further restrain potential mounting positions. Wifi repeaters and extenders can certainly help, but many home internets have a wider reach than you might expect. We recommend setting up mounting brackets in locations close to your house, within reach of your wifi, and with a long enough extension cord. 

Move your camera owl around every day if possible. The BIRDWATCHER camera owl is just as scary as our other owls and perhaps even scarier because it is actually watching! With the correct setup, the BIRDWATCHER camera owl might be the most effective owl ever built, as long as you take the time to reposition it as needed. The camera lens inside the owl’s eye can follow any motion it detects. It doesn't get much scarier than having an owl head turn, eyes fixed, and piercing gaze that watches you as you move about the garden!

Not necessarily! Great Horned Owls are a great tool for any gardener and a must-have for any yard that struggles with unwanted critters. No one likes bird droppings or goose poop on their deck, dock, and balcony. But remember, garden owls are only one tool in your toolbox. Be prepared to tackle your problems from different angles.

We have supplemental scarecrow devices like reflective tape and hanging disks. Heavy-duty animal barriers like our Bird-X bird netting and Deer-X deer netting are also prudent precautions for securing your property. Fake owls synergize with defensive barriers. Add additional scarecrow devices and team up to deter those pesky varmints!

About Dalen Products

Dalen Products is dedicated to providing gardeners with environmentally friendly solutions to simplify and enhance their gardening experience. We ensure both novice and experienced gardeners can enjoy the fruits of a well-tended garden and prioritize eco-friendly products that will protect your plants without actually causing any harm to wildlife or local habitats.

Whether it's for deterring pests, protecting plants, or adding aesthetic appeal to outdoor spaces, Dalen Products offers diverse solutions. From our Natural Enemy Scarecrow® Owls that mimic nature to our environmentally friendly and effective pest control options, we’re committed to creating safe products for both users and the environment.

Learn more about our products and explore their extensive range of gardening solutions. Our customer care team is always ready to assist with inquiries or concerns, ensuring a satisfying gardening experience for our valued customers.

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