Wild Barn Owl Rodenticide Impacts

Barn owls are highly sensitive to secondary rodenticide poisoning, accumulating anticoagulant compounds from the rodents they eat. This silent welfare and conservation threat affects a species already declining due to habitat loss and road mortality.

Key Facts

Barn owls feed almost exclusively on small mammals, particularly field voles, wood mice, and common shrews
Rodenticides accumulate in the liver and tissues of rodents and pass up the food chain to predators
Post-mortem surveys in the UK find anticoagulant rodenticide residues in the majority of barn owls tested
Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) such as brodifacoum are particularly persistent and toxic
SGARs are approved for use by professional pest controllers but have been linked to widespread predator mortality
Rodenticide stewardship schemes aim to reduce environmental exposure while maintaining pest control efficacy
Barn owl populations in the UK have declined significantly over the past century due to multiple threats
Nest box programmes support barn owl populations but cannot compensate for rodenticide-induced mortality

Welfare Considerations

Secondary rodenticide poisoning causes a slow, painful death through internal haemorrhage over several days. Barn owls and other predators including red kites, kestrels, and foxes accumulate these compounds without anyone intending to poison them. The welfare and conservation cost is substantial and largely preventable through better rodenticide application practices. Alternatives to rodenticide use in agricultural settings, including barn owl nest boxes as natural rodent control, represent both a welfare and ecological advance.

What You Can Do

Install barn owl nest boxes to support natural rodent control as an alternative to rodenticides
If rodenticide use is necessary, follow stewardship guidelines and use first-generation compounds where possible
Support campaigns for stronger regulation of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides
Report any found dead barn owls to the Barn Owl Trust for post-mortem toxicology analysis