BOMP

Useful Barn Owl links (for further help)

Barn Owl Nestboxes

"The BTO Nestbox Guide” (2004) by Chris du Feu contains a short section on Barn Owl boxes and shows a design for a box suitable for use within a building.

The booklet “Boxes, Baskets and Platforms: Artificial Nest Sites for Owls and Other Birds of Prey” (published by the Hawk & Owl Trust) is also recommended, and covers all of the common Barn Owl nestbox designs. This publication is available from the Hawk and Owl Trust.

"Indoor Nestboxes" (Barn Owl Trust) shows nestbox designs which minimises the chances of young falling from boxes. "Outdoor Nestboxes" can also be downloaded from the Barn Owl Trust website.

A very wide variety of other Barn Owl nestbox designs can be found on the Web, including many used in North American studies.

Useful Barn Owl Websites

Barn Owl Conservation Network (BOCN) This network should be able to put you in contact with a Barn Owl worker in your area, who may be able to provide more specific advice, or even arrange a site visit.

Hawk & Owl Trust

Barn Owl Trust

Suffolk Community Barn Owl Project The website of the Suffolk Community Barn Owl Project

Habitat Improvement for Barn Owls

"The Barn Owl and its Habitat” is a valuable information leaflet published by the Hawk & Owl Trust that shows Barn Owl habitat requirements.

"Habitat Management” (Barn Owl Trust leaflet no. 1) can be downloaded from the Barn Owl Trust website along with many other informative sheets concerning Barn Owls.

Barn Conversions and Barn Owls

"Barn Owls on Site – A Guide for Developers and Planners” – A booklet that provides all of the necessary information required to carry out a Barn Owl survey at a site. This joint English Nature/Barn Owl Trust booklet, it can be obtained (free of charge) from the Natural England website.

Fact-files available from the Barn Owl Conservation Network (BOCN).

For specific advice about protecting specific Barn Owl sites and planning issues, please contact the Coordinator of the Barn Owl Conservation Network.

Latest Trends

Click here for the Barn Owl page in the annual Breeding Birds in the Wider Countryside report.

Barn Owls and the Law

The RSPB information leaflet “Wild Birds and the Law” outlines the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (which includes Barn Owls). A copy of the leaflet can be downloaded from the RSPB website.

Barn Owl Releases

The Captive Bred Barn Owl Release Scheme was discontinued by DEFRA in 2002. It is no longer permissible to release captive-bred Barn Owls in the UK.

Captive Barn Owls

The BTO is not able to offer any advice about keeping and breeding Barn Owls in captivity. Further information on the subject can be found on the Barn Owl Trust website.

Barn Owl Pellet Analysis

A very helpful publication to help identify Barn Owl prey items in pellets is “The Analysis of Owl Pellets” by D W Yalden (published by the Mammal Society).

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