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Barn owl numbers recover





Barn Owl, Barn Owls, The Barn Owl Trust, Barn Owl Trust, RSPB Scotland, RSPB
Barn Owl, Barn Owls, The Barn Owl Trust, Barn Owl Trust, RSPB Scotland, RSPB

CAITHNESS is considered to have the most northerly population of barn owls in the world – and they have recovered well after severe winters took their toll on numbers eight or nine years ago, according to RSPB Scotland.

Representatives of the nature conservation charity were saddened to discover recently that a fit and healthy barn owl had apparently been killed by a vehicle in the county, but on the whole the birds are said to be doing well.

Barn owls originally evolved in warm, dry climates where food is in abundance all year round. It is therefore unsurprising that barn owls in the north of Scotland have a hard time during the winter months, with peak mortality rates being between December and March due to starvation.

As temperatures start to drop in winter, small mammals become less active, meaning a lot less food is available for barn owls, and they need to work extra-hard to find it. This often results in the owls being forced to feed during daylight, even though they are naturally nocturnal hunters.

This lack of food is particularly dangerous for barn owls as they are poorly insulated and need more food in winter to provide them with enough energy to stay warm.

The Barn Owl Trust estimates that between 3000 and 5000 barn owls are killed each year on UK roads.

RSPB Scotland site manager Dave Jones recently sent a deceased barn owl to the Scottish Agricultural College in Thurso for autopsy, when some concerned neighbours reported it after finding it at the roadside.

The results of the autopsy showed that the bird was fit and healthy, "in good shape and hunting successfully", and that the death followed trauma to its wing and abdomen – suggesting that the bird died as a result of being hit by a vehicle.

Dave said: "It is extremely sad to discover that a fit and healthy bird's life ended in this way. The barn owls in Caithness really are at the edge of their natural comfort zone and are particularly vulnerable in winter, so it isn't an unusual result, unfortunately. It's not all doom and gloom, though. Although we still find some casualties in this way, our population of barn owls in Caithness has recovered from the particularly poor winters of 2009/10 and 2010/11, and they are considered to be the most northerly population of barn owls in the world.

"While we can't control the weather, there are some things we can do to help. If putting up a nest box, please make sure it isn't placed close to any busy roads. If you see a road casualty and it is safe to do so, please stop and report the find to your local wildlife officer and to the Barn Owl Trust. This is helpful in identifying accident black spots and monitoring for environmental hazards and poisons, and potential wildlife crime."


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