Echo Country Column by Sally Welbourn of the Dorset Wildlife Trust

People from all over the world have enjoyed watching the barn owlets grow and learn how to survive in the world. There have also been reports of other large broods of barn owls fledging in the South West this year.

This is welcome news as back in 2014, barn owl numbers were at a record low in the UK. Previously, the barn owl population fell by an estimated 70 per cent between the 1930s and the 1980s. 

There are a number of factors which have contributed to the decline of barn owls. Some are unpredictable, such as the weather. Their feathers are designed for silent flight, and when they get wet it can increase their body weight by up to 77 per cent, making it harder to fly, and hunt effectively. The habitat of barn owls’ prey can also affect their survival.

Field voles are their favoured source of food, and they need an abundance of field margins to survive. These margins have declined due to changes in farming practices over the years. 

There are things we can all do to help barn owls. Making and putting up barn owl boxes which can be sited in barns and trees will give them a safe place to thrive.

The boxes are built with owlet safety in mind, with high openings so that baby birds can’t fall out. Boxes can also be incorporated into newer buildings such as the Lorton Meadows Conservation Centre, which has an entrance and ‘corridor’, making it really safe for this years’ owlets. 

As well as modern boxes, barn owls can also make their homes in hollow trees, and often in unconventional places. When they find a mate, they’ll make a small nest for their own ripped-up pellets, and they don’t always need a lot of space. 

This year’s success with the DWT barn owl chicks is encouraging, but the barn owl population has many threats, so we should not take these magnificent animals for granted.

To help DWT with its conservation work in Dorset, take part in its 2017 raffle by visiting www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk.