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Shadow Hills couple’s barn owl box draws worldwide following

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Published  February 3, 2026 4:19pm PST
Pets and Animals
FOX 11
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The Brief

    • A Shadow Hills couple set up a barn owl box with cameras to naturally control rats and ended up attracting a worldwide audience following the owls’ daily lives.
    • The owls’ nesting journey has included dozens of hatchlings and dramatic moments, including a dangerous encounter with a glue trap that prompted rare human intervention.
    • The couple now uses the owls’ popularity to promote safer rodent control and inspire others to build barn owl boxes in nearby neighborhoods.

LOS ANGELES - When Debbie and Dana Smith decided to put up an owl box to attract owls as a natural form of rat control at their Shadow Hills property, they also decided to put up a couple of cameras.

Little did they know that the antics of Barney and Betty, now the stars of the Friends of Shadow Hills Barn Owl Box Facebook page, would end up with followers all over the world.

From their first hatchling, aptly named Bam Bam, and his many siblings (22 and counting now!), the antics of the barn owls are entertaining, heartwarming and sometimes heart-stopping — like the time ravens tried — unsuccessfully — to make it into the box.

"Barn owls are wonderful," Dana said, explaining they try to keep a hands-off approach, as much as possible, so as not to interfere with nature. But the time the owls brought back a rat to feed their young, with a glue trap still attached to it, became one of the few times they stepped in. The glue from the trap quickly covered Betty’s face and threatened to trap the tiny hatchlings, "so I got myself up that ladder and got it out!" Dana said, adding he wishes people would nail the traps down securely.

"At least it’s not rat poison," Debbie said, who tries to put out the word as much as possible about the dangers of using poison to kill rodents. Animals that eat those rats end up dying, "and if owls were not being poisoned, they’d eat a lot more of those rodents people are trying to get rid of," she added.

You can follow the owls on the Facebook page, but there is also a live feed, although "we’d love someone to help us set up a YouTube feed so more people can follow," Dana explained, admitting he’s "winging it" using a Ring setup for live video. "So people have to sign in, and we just want to make it easier," he added.

Those looking to check out the live feed can click here for instructions.

As it is, followers in other nearby neighborhoods have asked for help building their own barn owl boxes. "They may not be as majestic as Jackie and Shadow," Dana said, referring to the beloved Big Bear eagles, "but they are certainly entertaining, and we love them. Hopefully, so will you."

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