Simple chamber

Make a pattern on something flexible using a compass or cooperative plate. Thin cardboard or a plastic lid works great. Cut the circle a little smaller than the size of the pipe you’re using for the tunnels. For 4” black drain pipe, a 4 3/8” hole (snug) up to 4 5/8” (loose) is fine.
Round up a clean 5-gallon bucket and your tools - marking pen, compass saw, round rasp-type file, drill and drill bit (1/8” or so). See Tool Grid for details. *Your 18 minutes starts from here!
Use your pattern and marker to mark holes on opposite sides of the bucket 1/2” to 2” from the top edge. (A solid rim adds strength.) I like to offset the holes (about 10” between) and space them around and at least 1/4” away from the edge of one of the handle supports. That way you can keep the handy handle.
For all holes, drill “starter” holes then poke in your compass or keyhole saw and cut along the line. The compass saw turns more easily. It helps if you grab the cutout to hold it steady when you can. If your bucket has lots of ridges, working from inside may be simpler.
For easy access, (cleaning or banding) cut a 4 3/8” hole in the center of a sturdy (#2 HDPE) “gallon” nursery pot.
Use the rasp to make 4 or 5 drain slots in the bottom rim of your bucket if you’re worried about ponding leading to leaks. I keep telling myself, “Their ‘natural’ burrows are DIRT and probably leak like sieves!” but I still take this step. Go figure...
Cut a hole in the center of the bottom of your bucket the same diameter as the nursery pot just above the drainage holes - usually about 5 3/8”. You can make a pattern or sometimes it works to just draw around the bottom of the pot with a fat marker for your cutting line.
File if needed for a tight fit or plan to caulk the joint at the last minute. (#6 all over again...) We’re going to dazzle the owls with this burrow!
When you’re ready to install, you’ll nest a plastic bag (for easy release) & soil-filled “whole” pot(s) inside your “holey” pot as security plugs. Use more soil to bring the top to the finished level & add a sturdy flat rock or stepping stone and more rocks & soil to shield and mark the spot. links from Checklist detail strategies for protection from crushing and varmits.

For more strength, set
hole up to 2” from the rim.

For nesting, put two of these chambers into one hole and connect them with a short piece of pipe. Add two or more chambers for satellite burrows from about 15 to 300 feet away. For wintering BuOws, each single bucket makes a cozy chamber, but the more holes the better for escaping predators. Luckily, even a tunnel with two entrances and NO chamber will work fine as a hideout!

You’re on your way! Mix and match from the Tunnels, Entries and Perches pages to add the other parts to finish your burrows. Checklist and Burying It have more info that will help you fine-tune your plans. For lots of burrows, check out the speedier 9-minute & 15-minute power-assisted chambers.
This access design is a takeoff on a model I saw used by the fine folks at the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of British Columbia (BOCS). I call it “B.C. Lite”. BuOws have successfully nested in 5-gallon plastic buckets for many years and connecting two buckets to make a larger nesting chamber is not a new idea. Easy access has been the problem. In trying to come up with inexpensive components I hit on the ubiquitous ”one gallon” nursery pot.  This combination isn’t crushproof. Armor well with rocks! BuOw researcher Jack Barclay has checked out the access and says the size is fine for banding.  Try a few and see how they work for you! Send feedback to burroworks@me.com.

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