BARN OWL (TYTO ALBA) ACTION PLAN

Compiled by The Wildlife Trust

Lead Agencies Public Sector English Nature

Voluntary Sector The Hawk and Owl Trust

1 INTRODUCTION

The Barn Owl population in Britain has declined considerably since the 1930s. The decline appears to be caused mainly by the loss of feeding habitat and nesting sites. Recent successful work to recover the Barn Owl population has concentrated on ensuring that there are suitable nesting sites in areas which have sufficient feeding areas.

2 CURRENT STATUS

2.1 International / National Status

· The Barn Owl is at the northern limit of its world range in the British Isles, and numbers have fallen by as much as 75% since the 1930’s. With only around 4,400 pairs resident, it is now a U.K. Red Data Book bird species.

· The Barn Owl is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

2.2 Local Status

In Northamptonshire the present Barn Owl population is estimated at 40 breeding pairs, although there is no confirmed data, (around an 80% decrease over the last 50 years). The Barn Owl is listed in the Northamptonshire Red Data Book as rapidly declining and the U.K. status is Red Alert.

3 CURRENT FACTORS CAUSING LOSS OR DECLINE

· Habitat loss, especially rough grassland, resulting in a reduction of small mammals which are the main food supply of Barn Owls.

· Loss of nesting sites such as old buildings and mature / dead trees.

· Changing climate, especially the effects of the harsher winters, which diminish food reserves.

· Increasing or changing use of pesticides, especially rodenticides, as Barn Owls may indirectly consume these by eating contaminated small mammals.

· Road mortalities.

· Water trough fatalities - a number of Owls drown in these drinking troughs.

4 CURRENT ACTION

· English Nature work in the county to protect Barn Owls using legislation under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

· The Hawk and Owl Trust have erected Barn Owl boxes sites with suitable foraging habitat. These boxes are monitored, and a number have housed successful breeding pairs.

· The Wildlife Trust have been involved in collecting Barn Owl records, and occasionally erecting boxes, in the county since the mid 1980’s. The County Bird Recorder and the Hawk and Owl Trust also collate data on Barn Owls.

· The Wildlife Trust and Local Authorities have also been active in identifying and protecting grassland of wildlife importance through the Wildlife Site System. A number of organisations provide advice to landowners on grassland management for wildlife including the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Nene Valley Project, Wildlife Trust and Stewardship advisors.

· Nationally the Hawk and Owl Trust have been active in establishing the Barn Owl Conservation Network whose aims are to provide specialist advice on all aspects of Barn Owl ecology and promote the “Farmland and Riverside Link” Scheme at the local, county and regional level, within the framework of the Trust’s National Conservation Strategy. There has been an active Hawk and Owl Trust group in the county since 1995 and they have been involved in a number of projects. They have also been involved in a partnership project with the Wildlife Trust and Nene Valley Project to erect 8 pole boxes along the Nene and Tove Valleys. They are currently carrying out a comprehensive survey of the county which involves re-checking all sites identified in the 1984/85 Hawk and Owl Trust survey to establish a framework for an active conservation programme. The Trusts Barn Owl Conservation Network advisors in the county advise on all aspects of Barn Owl ecology with the support of the national organisation.

· Permanent and temporary foraging habitat may be created through agricultural schemes, such as set-aside and Countryside Stewardship.

5. BARN OWL OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS

	Objective	Action	Lead Agency	Partners	TargetS
5.1	Policy and Legislation
	Objective One: Ensure that BAP species and their habitats are given an appropriate level of protection in local plans	Include habitat and species protection policies in local plans and/or supplementary guidance	Landowners		By 2003
	Objective Two: Ensure the protection of the species through the Countryside and Wildlife Act 1981	Use the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, to protect both the bird and known breeding sites	English Nature		Throughout Action Plan Period
	Objective Three: Ensure that known breeding, roosting and feeding sites are protected through the local planning process	Include species protection policies in local plans and/or supplementary guidance	Landowners		By 2003
5.2	Site Safeguard and Management
	Objective Four: Maintain habitats suitable for Barn Owls	Manage land positively for breeding and hunting sites by encouraging use of stewardship and ESA schemes	Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group	BAP Partners Landowners	Throughout Action Plan Period
		Encourage land management suitable to Barn Owls throughout the county especially between breeding sites and along river corridors	Hawk and Owl Trust	Nene Valley Project Environment Agency Dept. for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Wildlife Trust. Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group Landowners	Throughout Action Plan Period
	Objective Five: Enhance the countryside in a manner beneficial to providing both nest sites and hunting grounds for Barn Owls, with the aim of extending their range	Use best practice to ensure that design and management of river corridors and roadside habitats take Barn Owls into account	Environment Agency (River Corridors) Highways Authority/ Highways Agency (Roads)	Hawk & Owl Trust	Throughout Action Plan Period
		Establish, maintain and make available to conservation organisations a breeding and roosting site database, including the location of all nest boxes	Hawk & Owl Trust	County Bird Recorder, Landowners, Wildlife Trust	By 2003
5.3	Species Management and Protection
	Objective Six: Protect Barn Owls with the aim of increasing their numbers and expanding their range	Increase the Barn Owl population by 20%	Hawk and Owl Trust	BAP partners	By 2010
		Double the number of nest boxes, especially along river valleys. Ensure the boxes are not erected near any major roads	Hawk & Owl Trust	Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Wildlife Trust, Nene Valley Project, Landowners English Nature, Landowners	By 2005
		Establish a working relationship with any-one undertaking releases in the county	Hawk & Owl Trust	Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, RSPB, Wildlife Trust	By 2002
5.4	Advisory
	Objective Seven: Provide advice and information connected to the preservation of sites and feeding habitat which are preferred by Barn Owls	Landowners to be advised on land management for Barn Owls and establish a database of landowners supporting the conservation programmes	Hawk & Owl Trust	Nene Valley Project, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, RSPB, Wildlife Trust and other BAP Partners	By 2003
		Give advice on farm building conversions where the Owls may be present, particularly at the planning application stage	English Nature	Hawk & Owl Trust	Throughout Action Plan Period
5.5	Future Monitoring and Research
	Objective Eight: Establish a monitoring scheme, under English Nature licence to continually assess the breeding success of Barn Owls	Set up key sites where long term monitoring can be undertaken	Hawk & Owl Trust	Wildlife Trust	Throughout Action Plan Period
		Undertake and publish pellet research to determine food requirements and seasonal variations in prey taken	Wildlife Trust	Hawk & Owl Trust (to supply the pellets)	Throughout Action Plan Period
		Record the numbers of breeding pairs and their locations in Northants	Hawk & Owl Trust County Bird Recorder	Wildlife Trust, Individuals	Throughout Action Plan Period
5.6	Communications and Publicity
	Objective Nine: Promote Barn Owl ecology and encourage the general public to assist in recording and monitoring	Raise awareness of Barn Owl requirements	Hawk & Owl Trust		Throughout Action Plan Period
		Run training courses on Owl pellet analysis	Wildlife Trust	Hawk & Owl Trust	By 2001 and throughout the plan period
		Train and licence new volunteers to monitor the Barn Owl boxes	Hawk & Owl Trust	English Nature	By 2003 and throughout the plan period
		Encourage the public to submit all their Barn Owl records to the County Recorder	Wildlife Trust	Hawk & Owl Trust	By 2001 and Throughout Action Plan Period
		Encourage members of the public to offer voluntary help within this field	Wildlife Trust	Hawk & Owl Trust	Through Action Plan Period
5.7	Review
	Objective Ten: Review the plan to assess progress, and where necessary update and amend		Hawk and Owl Trust	BAP Partners	2005
	Objective Eleven: Publicise the progress made in delivering this Action Plan in a BAP Annual Report			BAP Partners	Annual

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