{"id":763,"date":"2025-09-01T22:35:35","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T22:35:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/owls.taiga.com\/?p=763"},"modified":"2025-09-20T23:02:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T23:02:17","slug":"inexpensive-diy-owl-lure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/owls.taiga.com\/?p=763","title":{"rendered":"Inexpensive DIY Owl Lure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An audio lure for owl banding can be constructed from a few inexpensive \/ commonly-available parts. For this lure, I am using a small MP3 player module with a built-in amplifier; this module can play files directly off of USB flash drives or micro-SD cards.
All it needs is connection of a power source and a speaker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many variations of this kind of MP3 player module availalble. I chose this one due to the larger built-in amplifier and an actual knob for power\/volume (most use buttons); the analog volume control is just a personal preference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past I’ve used heavy SLA (sealed lead acid) batteries in this kind of lure. But recently I’ve switched to using off-the-shelf Lithium Ion power banks combined with USBC PD adapters that provide 12VDC. These power banks can be swapped out quickly and charged with standard USBC chargers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The speaker is an outdoor waterproof deck horn. The whole assembly is mounted in an old waterproof Pelican case (which is no longer waterproof due to all of the holes I’ve drilled in it over the course of many audio lure variations).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A list of parts with product links is included at the end of this post; all of these parts are only examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Portable low-cost owl audio lure<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Internal arrangement of components<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Exploded view of lure components and connections<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The MP3 player module includes wire pigtails for connection of power and two speakers (stereo output). I’m only using one speaker here but this system could be expanded to drive two speakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MP3 player module connections<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Power is provided to the MP3 module by means of a 12VDC USB-C PD adapter cable.
This cable has a USBC connector on one end and a barrel plug on the other end.
To make the connection to the MP3 module’s power wires, a spring-terminal barrel jack is an easy solution. These barrel jacks are also available with screw or solder terminals.
Alternately, the barrel plug on the adapter cable could be cut off and the wires spliced with wire nuts, solder, WAGO connectors, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Barrel jack and plug<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Connection to the deck horn speaker is made by splicing the wires together<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The audio lure file (mp3) is saved on a MicroSD card and inserted into the ‘TF Card’ slot on the player:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Loading the Micro SD card into the player module<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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