Wildlife

Wild Barn Owl Winter Prey Availability

Barn owls are specialist small mammal hunters that are highly vulnerable when prey availability is reduced by snow cover or population crashes.

Key Facts

Barn owls cannot hunt through snow and starve rapidly in prolonged snowy periods
Field vole populations cycle every 3-4 years, causing boom-bust prey availability
Barn owls in poor condition after breeding are particularly vulnerable to winter starvation
Supplementary feeding programmes at nest boxes can support struggling individuals
Long grass margins and buffer strips adjacent to field edges provide core hunting habitat

Welfare Considerations

Barn owls starving during snow events or vole population crashes experience significant welfare harm. Individuals weakened by the breeding season are particularly at risk. Maintaining hunting habitat quality and managing for good vole populations provides the foundation for barn owl welfare through winter.

What You Can Do

Create and maintain rough grass margins on farmland for barn owl hunting
Support barn owl nest box programmes on agricultural land
Report ringed barn owls to BTO if found dead or alive