The ghostly white shape of this species in Western Europe is unmistakeable and they can usually be seen hunting at night or at twilight, although encounters with these beautiful birds are rare. Barn Owls are vocal and make a range of noises, but it is their ‘screeching’ call usually heard at the start of the breeding season, which can be heard over long distances and was thought to have given rise
to the legend of the ‘Banshee’, a female spirit who foretold death by her screams. Fortunately the truth is less sinister and these graceful owls are actually our friends, hunting rodents and vermin that are unwelcome in farms and near food crops. Barn Owls under threat. Sadly Barn Owl numbers have plummeted in Ireland by over 50% in the last 25 years alone. Now ‘Red-listed’ as a species of conservation concern, Barn Owls are under threat. The reasons for this dramatic decline are numerous. Modern farming methods have resulted in the removal of hedgerows, more intensive farming; the loss of small scale tillage and the use of pesticides have greatly reduced the prey rich foraging habitat that the Owls need. The use of rodenticides on farms has resulted in the secondary exposure to these toxins, by the Owls which catch the poisoned rodents. Loss of safe nesting and roosting sites are also contributors to the decline as is the increase in major road networks, along which Barn Owls hunt. However, their hunting behaviour, low flight and poor peripheral vision make them extremely vulnerable to vehicle collisions and Irish motorways have witnessed countless Barn Owl fatalities. Birdwatch Ireland - Helping the Owls. For the last few years Birdwatch Ireland has been focusing on helping the Barn Owl. This centralised approach based on up to date research and appropriate scientific analysis has been coordinated by John Lusby and a national effort has been made in the form of research, education in the form of numerous publications – and the support by Birdwatch Ireland of numerous County initiatives. Together these operate under the auspices of the Barn Owl Monitoring Group. Members of this Group are highly trained ‘ringers’, licenced under an NPWS (section 32) licence to trap and ring Barn Owls. Ringing the Owls allows us to monitor the health, longevity and movements of the birds. The Wexford Barn Owl Project. The majority of Irelands Barn Owls are concentrated in the west of the Country and the species is stretched very thinly in Wexford. Of the 93 broods of Barn Owls ringed across Ireland in 2020, only one active nest site was visited in Wexford. There is an urgent need to help revive the population of Barn Owls within the County and the emphasis in the coming years is to purpose-build and erect Barn Owl nest boxes in the most suitable locations.
