THE BARN OWL
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The
Barn Owl was once a familiar sight in the British
countryside, frequently found in and near farm buildings,
where it was welcomed by farmers because of its usefulness
in pest control.
Unfortunately, farming methods of the last century led to
the destruction of hedgerows, meadowland and field
headlands with the consequential loss of habitat for prey
species, a factor which the increased use of pesticides
then accelerated. As old farm buildings were either
demolished or converted to other uses, the Barn Owl
population crashed to a dangerously low level and by the
year 2000 it was estimated there were less than 4,000
breeding pairs left in Britain.
Although changes in agricultural practices have to a
certain extent halted and in some cases reversed this
decline, traffic deaths now play an increasing part in
keeping Barn Owls at Amber status on the British Birds
Conservation List.
Though widespread throughout Britain but scarce or absent
from the highlands & islands of Scotland, Barn Owls are
found in low-lying arable areas near coasts, where prey is
abundant; farmland with hedgerows and copses; uncultivated
areas such as heaths and marshes; and sometimes large
gardens, or even occasionally in villages close to fields
They nest in hollow trees, buildings and crevices in rocks.
The Barn Owl’s prey consists mainly of small mammals, in
particular short-tailed and field voles, mice and common
shrews. These it either still-hunts from a perch or
searches for by quartering over meadowland, usually in the
half-light at dusk or dawn and often hovering with
moth-like silent fluttering flight as it relies on its
superb hearing to locate prey. It is estimated that a pair
of Barn Owls and their young may eat about 1,000 rodents
between them during the three-month breeding season.
The Barn Owl has a distinctive heart shaped face, buff back
and wings and pure white under parts (which often lead to
it being incorrectly identified as a Snowy Owl when seen in
head-on flight). Although flight is silent, the screeching,
wheezing and gurgling of the Barn Owl gives it an unique
aural signature.