Focus on... Barn Owls in Ireland
06 Feb 2017
Formerly widespread in Ireland, the Barn Owl population has declined by around 50% in the 25 years, with perhaps as few as 400 pairs left. Loss of habitat, exposure to rodenticides and vulnerability to traffic have been identified as some of the causes for this decline.
BirdWatch Ireland have produced a comprehensive booklet on Barn Owls (PDF) to highlight the ongoing decline, as well as producing a fascinating video on the hunting patterns of a GPS-tagged Barn Owl. February is the peak month for Barn Owl, with a reporting rate of 2–3% of your complete lists, so now is the best time to find your own. Don't forget to add your sightings to BirdTrack!
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