Wildlife

Wild Barn Owl Rodenticide Secondary Poisoning

Barn owls are particularly vulnerable to secondary poisoning from rodenticides, as they consume large numbers of poisoned rodents, with serious welfare and population consequences.

Key Facts

Over 90% of barn owls tested in the UK show evidence of rodenticide exposure
Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) accumulate in owl tissue
Poisoned owls die slowly from internal haemorrhage over days
Barn owls rarely breed successfully in areas with high rodenticide exposure
Restrictions on SGAR use are being tightened in the UK and EU

Welfare Considerations

Secondary rodenticide poisoning causes prolonged, painful death from haemorrhage. Reducing rodenticide exposure in owl territories prevents preventable suffering.

What You Can Do

Use rodenticides only as a last resort and follow label instructions strictly
Avoid SGARs and use first-generation alternatives where possible
Provide barn owl boxes on farms to support natural rodent control
Support barn owl monitoring and reporting through wildlife organisations