Zoos, by nature, are breeding grounds for high numbers of rodents. The use
of poisons and traps has been the main tool for rodent control. By acquiring
and reintroducing avian predators, specifically barn owls, into a zoo setting,
the rodent population could be controlled naturally. Barn owls (Tyto alba)
once flourished in Pennsylvania and surrounding areas, particularly in old
wooden barns, but the development of new prefabricated barns has left the
owls with fewer places to nest. This study focuses on installing several manmade nest boxes for three avian predators on the grounds of the Pittsburgh
Zoo & PPG Aquarium and surrounding areas. In time, it is hoped that the
owls will begin to breed and higher densities will be achieved, as well as a
suppressed rodent population.