Birds

Barn Owl Welfare in Intensive Farmland

Barn owls have declined sharply in many regions due to changes in farming practices that reduce prey availability and nesting sites.

Key Facts

Barn owl populations have declined 70% in parts of Europe
They eat primarily voles, mice, and shrews in farmland
Rodenticide poisoning kills many barn owls through secondary exposure
They require old barns and hollow trees for nesting
Intensive farming reduces the rough grassland they hunt over

Welfare Considerations

Barn owls suffering from rodenticide poisoning experience neurological damage and prolonged death. Loss of foraging habitat due to monoculture farming causes starvation, particularly in winter. Barn owls with injured wing or eye function cannot hunt effectively and slowly starve. The transition to intensive farming has removed both their home and their food supply.

What You Can Do

Support barn owl nest box installation programs
Advocate for integrated pest management replacing rodenticides
Donate to barn owl trust organizations
Support rewilding of farmland margins as barn owl foraging habitat