Barn Owls Under Threat

Alarming figures have been published by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) recording a 280% increase in reports of dead Barn Owls in March, at the start of the breeding season. Many had starved. According to the Barn Owl Trust this has been the worst breeding season for more than 30 years. This catastrophic fall in numbers follows a series of cold and wet springs.

1,234 breeding sites across Devon are monitored every 10 years. Of 276 sites checked so far this year, barn owls are nesting in seven and only four sites have young. West Sussex normally has up to 55 nests but only five have been found this year.

The fantastic weather in March 2012 meant that owls started breeding earlier, but then in June the rain started and didn't stop. This prevented adult birds hunting and many young birds starved. In some cases entire broods of owlets were found dead in the nest.

Jeff Baker of the BTO said: "Barn Owls can sustain one or two years of poor breeding performance, but we don't want another very cold spring, or very wet one".

It is hoped that these icons of the countryside will be able to recover.