Welcome
There are still downy owlets at some Barn Owl nest sites when autumn begins, while at many others the young have already fledged. Ultimately, all the newly independent young will face the inevitable challenge of their next phase. Juvenile dispersal is a critical period for Barn Owls, involving unfamiliar lands, many human-made hazards, and the need to find a suitable home range. During dispersal, the young owls will be opportunistic in their use of roost sites, including any available nestboxes. They will also require foraging habitat that holds prey at a time when many grasslands have been recently mown short for hay or silage. In contrast, rough grassland patches provide cover for the small mammals in autumn, and these areas will help the juvenile owls on their journeys.
Please report all Barn Owl nests, roost sites, and sightings (dead or alive), anywhere in the UK. Thanks.
- Step One – please check through the quick Owl Identification Guide - just to make sure the bird you saw really was a Barn Owl. Pellet identification and owl sounds included.
- Step Two – complete our one-page survey form.
- Step Three – create your own log-on to make your future reporting even quicker and view your submissions.