Barn owls are iconic farmland birds in decline across much of Europe. Their welfare is affected by rodenticide poisoning, road casualties, and loss of hunting habitat.
Barn owls poisoned by SGARs accumulate anticoagulants in their liver over multiple poisoned prey items before symptoms appear. Death from internal haemorrhage occurs days to weeks after the fatal dose threshold is reached — a prolonged welfare harm affecting a significant proportion of the UK barn owl population. Road strike fatalities occur primarily in late summer and autumn when young owls disperse from natal territories and lack experience of vehicles. Owls that survive initial strikes frequently have injuries including broken wings that prevent release after rehabilitation. Farm management that retains rough grass field margins, hedgerows, and nest box provision directly improves barn owl welfare by maintaining habitat quality and supplementing natural nest site availability.