Wildlife

Wild Barn Owl Prey Base and Welfare

Barn owl welfare is tightly linked to field vole population density, with vole cycle peaks enabling good breeding and troughs causing food stress.

Key Facts

Field voles comprise over 70% of the barn owl diet in UK farmland
Vole cycles of 3-5 years create boom-bust dynamics in barn owl breeding success
Rough grassland with high vole densities supports thriving barn owl populations
Loss of rough grassland from agricultural intensification reduces prey availability
Barn owls in poor vole years hunt more widely, increasing road casualty risk

Welfare Considerations

Barn owl welfare is inseparable from field vole ecology. In poor vole years, barn owls must range further for fewer catches, increasing road casualty risk and energy expenditure. The welfare benefit of rough grassland creation extends through the food chain from voles to owls. Each new rough grassland margin created is a welfare investment.

What You Can Do

Support agri-environment schemes creating rough grassland for voles and barn owls
Install barn owl nest boxes on farms with suitable rough grassland
Advocate for rough grassland margins as a minimum requirement in agricultural policy