Wild Birds

Barn Owls and Rodenticide Poisoning

Barn owls are particularly vulnerable to secondary poisoning from rodenticides used in agricultural and domestic settings, threatening their recovery in the UK.

Key Facts

Over 90% of UK barn owls tested posthumously show rodenticide residues
Anticoagulant rodenticides cause internal bleeding that kills over days to weeks
Barn owls are at the top of the food chain and accumulate rodenticides through prey
The UK has restricted second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides but not eliminated them
Nest box provision and rodenticide-free management support barn owl populations

Welfare Considerations

Barn owls dying from anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning experience prolonged internal haemorrhage causing weakness, disorientation, and slow death over days. Sub-lethal exposure impairs hunting ability, causing starvation. The invisibility of the poisoning process means welfare harm is occurring at scale without public recognition. Rodenticide poisoning affects not just barn owls but also red kites, kestrels, buzzards, and other predatory birds and mammals.

What You Can Do

Use traps rather than poison for rodent control wherever possible
Choose second-generation anticoagulant-free rodenticides if poison is necessary
Report barn owls and other raptors found dead to the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme
Support Barn Owl Trust monitoring and nest box programmes
Advocate for stricter rodenticide regulation that protects predatory wildlife