| Re: Barn Owl Decline
Quote from the "Northerner":
I once asked a wildlife expert what barn owls were called before barns
were invented. He wasn't amused, and didn't answer. But he will
surely be celebrating the news that a York researcher has drawn up a
blueprint which could ensure their survival.
The barn owl's grassland habitat has been eroded by modern farming
methods. There are thought to be just 4,000 pairs of barn owls left
across the British Isles - fewer than a third of the population
living here during the 1930s.
But Dr Nick Askew has established the ideal habitat for this type of
owl and hopes his research will enable the population to recover to
6,000 pairs by 2013.
"We combined information gathered by volunteers with modern mapping
techniques to help identify the best areas for barn owl habitat
creation and nest boxes," he told the Yorkshire Post.
Barn owls mostly hunt voles, but often include mice, shrews and rats
in their diet. Their prey is concentrated in rough grassland. Dr
Askew calculated that the ideal amount of grassland needed was
between 35 and 116 acres, depending on whether the area was arable,
pastoral or mixed agricultural land.
David Ramsden, the head of conservation at the Barn Owl Trust, said:
"This is one of the most important pieces of research that has ever
been conducted into barn owls. It has given us information about
exactly how much grassland is needed to ensure barn owls can thrive
once again." He said it was now important to encourage farmers to
reintroduce the habitats the owl needs. |