Things to think about first ???

Barn Owl numbers have dropped dramatically over the last 80 or so years. from 70,000 breeding pairs in the mid 50's to a startling 5,000 today. YES you read right only 5,000 pairs left out in the wild in Britain !!! If the same trend continues, we will have no Barn Owls out in the wild within the next 15-20 years........we can't let that happen !!!

As the Barn Owl (like most birds of Prey) are very high up on the food chain,  any Human changes that destruct and fragment the habitats and environments of animals at the bottom, invariably affects things at the top.

Reasons for their decline

• Hedgerow destruction and replacement with maintenance free fencing.
  • Great for Modern Farming
  • Bad for Mice and Voles
• Increased Urbanisation.
  • Our towns get bigger
  • Barn Owls towns get smaller
• Farm yard Buildings changed to Rodent Proof Silos/Storage Bins
  • Ideal if you sit behind a desk in a health and safety office !!
  • Not so good if you are a hungry Rodent
  • Get past the Silo did you....try getting into these bins then !!
• Barns/Outbuildings now housing modern farm machinery.
  • Nice shiny new £ 15,000 plough is kept warm and cosy
  • No room at the Inn for Mr & Mrs Barn Owl
• Disused Barns converted to beautiful homes.
  • Barn Conversion (cost £1.2 million ish ??)
  • Barn Owl box for the outside (cost £10 ish).Do the math !!!
• Increase in stocking density of Sheep and greater silage production.
  • Lots of food for Cows and Sheep
  • Grass to short for Barn Owl food to run around in
• Removal of natural Nest sites like hollow old trees.
  • Back to the guys at the health & safety office again !!
  • OK, no one wants a Tree to fall on them (or anybody else) but cum on guys, plant a new one at the same time ??

THE LIST GOES ON, BARN OWLS REALLY DO NEED OUR HELP !

Lets find out if you can help by building your own nest box ?

Do you have the right type of habitat and environment to encourage Barn Owls to use your nest box ?

Barn Owls prey primarily on Short Tail Voles, Field Mice and Shrews. They will hunt at day and at night but usually at first and last light. They can be seen (if your very lucky) hunting reasonably low to the ground along the grassy margins where open fields meet woodland edges. They do not usually hunt in dense woodland.

Barn Owls prefer to breed at altitudes less than 160m (500ft) above sea level. The less Human disturbance the better. They prefer roomy well sheltered places to nest and roost. Wide ledges & wall cavities are ideal but have will nest in Bales of Hay and Natural tree cavities.

Like all Owls, barn owls make no nest but lay their eggs directly on the flat surface they have available. Sometimes this is cushioned by discarded pellets (the regurgitated left overs of a recent meal). Eggs are usually laid in late April - early May. Incubation period is (like most birds) around 30 days (31 to be accurate) and hatch 1 - 3 day apart.

Nest Boxes not only provide suitable nesting sites but can also provide suitable shelter from harsh weather, this is very important if Barn Owls are to be attracted to an area.

Don't worry if you have little or even none of the above ideal habitat or environment available on you doorstep. Barn Owls have been known to travel long distances between hunting grounds and nest sites.

Droppings (long streaks of 'whitewash') and pellets (regurgitated leftovers) about the size of a small human Thumb are tell tale signs of a favorite roosting place.

 

OK, lets get started with our Box design and build.

There are two main types of Barn Owl Box, Interior and Exterior.

 

FURTHER CONTENT UNDER CONSTRUCTION