Continuous 24/7 HD live stream from inside our barn owl nest box in the Peak District, with night vision and sound
Peak District Conditions
About our barn owl nest box camera
Watch wild barn owls in real time as they roost, nest and raise owlets in the Peak District National Park. The nest box camera has night vision and sensitive microphones, so you can see and hear everything, from soft chittering and snoring to the rush of wings, 24 hours a day.
🦉 Meet Buster
This camera is in the home of Buster, our resident male barn owl. He was ringed as a nestling in 2023, and he's been living here ever since. His nest box is one I made from an old oak whisky barrel, fitted inside the roof of an old barn, with a ledge outside where the owls land and perch.
By day, you'll usually find Buster dozing, preening or stretching his wings. As dusk falls, he wakes up, tidies his feathers and heads out to hunt over the rough grass nearby, coming back now and then through the night. In the nesting season, this box is where it all happens: courtship, eggs, owlets and a steady stream of voles.
👀 What you might see
| When | What to look out for |
|---|---|
| ☀️ Daytime | Roosting, dozing on one leg, preening and the occasional big stretch |
| 🌆 Dusk | The busiest time: waking up, calling, and leaving to hunt |
| 🌙 Night | Comings and goings, food deliveries and pellets being coughed up |
| 🌱 Spring | Courtship, pairs preening each other, and with luck, the first eggs from around April |
| ☀️ Summer | Owlets growing fast, food arriving through the night, and young owls flapping their wings |
| 🍂 Autumn and winter | Roosting by day, and sometimes hunting in daylight when food is short |
Watch with the sound on. The microphones pick up the hisses, chittering and snores, and it's surprising how much more you understand when you can hear what's going on. Press the green button under the camera to turn the sound on.
❓ Questions people ask
Is the barn owl camera really live?
Yes. It streams live, 24 hours a day, from inside the nest box. Now and then it goes offline for maintenance, and this page shows a message until it's back.
Why is the picture black and white at night?
At night the camera uses infrared light, which shows in black and white. Barn owls can't see infrared, so it doesn't disturb them.
Why is the box empty?
Barn owls use more than one roost and hunt at night, so the box won't always have an owl in it. Check back at dusk or in the daytime, or look at our other cameras.
When do barn owls nest?
Courtship usually starts in late winter, and eggs are typically laid from around April. The owlets stay in the nest for about eight to ten weeks before they start to fly.
Can I watch the barn owl camera on my TV?
Yes. Open the YouTube app on your smart TV, search for Barn Owl Live, and choose the barn owl stream.
Does the camera disturb the owls?
No. The cameras were fitted outside the breeding season, the infrared light is invisible to owls, and nobody goes near the box while it's in use. Barn owls are protected by law, and their welfare always comes first.
🎥 More live cameras
📚 Learn more about barn owls
- 🛠️ How I make barn owl nest boxes from old whisky barrels
- 🦉 Barn owl facts: over 100 questions and answers
- ♀️ How to tell the sex of a barn owl
- 🐭 What do barn owls eat?
- 👀 Recent sightings from the live cameras
Paul 🦉