Owls

Barn owls are known locally as 'devil birds' and myths about them have been handed down through the generations from as far back as the Ancient Maya (the Maya god of the dead, Mictlantecuhtli, was often depicted with a barn owl), and many Mesoamerican cultures consider the barn owl a symbol of death and destruction.

City-dwelling barn owls like to live in attics and roof-spaces. It's better to block holes in the eaves of a house and prevent the birds nesting in the first place than to try to clear them out after they have settled in.

If you have a problem with an owl please contact Rasheda Garcia at the Forest Department or Belize Bird Rescue for help and advice.

A quick side-note:

If you find a baby barn owl, or any other baby bird for that matter, usually the best thing you can do is leave it where you found it. Although it may appear vulnerable and abandoned, often a parent is nearby, watching and feeding it. If it has lots of feathers it is probably near to fledged and ready to leave the nest. Leave it alone for an hour or so in case the parent is around. If you can, put it onto lower branches of a nearby bush which would provide a safe haven before it attempts to fly again. If it only has a few feathers, its nest is probably nearby and this is by far the best place for it if you can find it. Only remove the bird if you are absolutely positive it will not make it without help.

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You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. (Mahatma Gandhi)