Dorset Wildlife Trust Lorton barn owls © Paul Williams
DORSET WILDLIFE TRUST
limitations of the barn owls’ wings, which aren’t waterproof so they can be adversely affected by the weather. They are also unable to store a lot of body fat, and therefore are particularly prone to starvation during prolonged periods of severe weather or when there is shortage of prey.
Return of the barn owls
The silent flight of a barn owl is a majestic and wonderful sight for any nature lover. With the features of their heart-shaped faces and deep black eyes, they are an unmistakable icon of the countryside in the UK.
However, it may surprise you to hear that the odds are stacked against these wonderful creatures, with a long list of challenges and problems they face daily.
Firstly, there’s the two things we all need: food and shelter. Declining or unsuitable habitat means that both of these vital elements to their survival immediately puts them at threat. Suitable roosting sites, and then good quality unimproved grassland for their prey to live (such as voles and mice) can be hard to come by if the quality of the habitat close to them isn’t good enough. During the breeding season, they need to have a plentiful food source within 1km of their roost – their chicks can eat their own body weight in food in one night!
The next challenge is overcoming the physical Please mention The Corfe Mullen Link when responding to adverts 53
However, there are sites where barn owls can
thrive. One of those is Dorset Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve, Lorton Meadows, in Weymouth, where we have seen many chicks fledge each year as a result of the excellent habitat surrounding the barn owl box. Careful habitat management carried out all year round by DWT conservation staff and volunteers means that this site can provide the food and shelter barn owls need to survive.
This year we are streaming the latest pair of barn owls which are roosting and preparing for breeding, live on our webcam which is sponsored by PFM Associates.
You can watch the barn owls here, and hopefully, enjoy many hours of witnessing the true beauty of nature as they raise their chicks at the Lorton Meadows nature reserve: https://www.
dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlifewebcam
Sally Welbourn Communications Officer, Dorset Wildlife Trust
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