Wildlife

Long-eared Owl Welfare: Woodland and Farmland Edge Habitats

The long-eared owl is a secretive nocturnal raptor dependent on farmland-woodland edge habitats and its welfare is closely linked to small mammal prey availability.

Key Facts

Long-eared owls nest in abandoned corvid or raptor nests in small woodland patches
They forage over open farmland and rough grassland for field voles and wood mice
Winter roost sites in dense hedgerows can hold 10-50 birds from northern Europe
UK populations fluctuate considerably with vole cycles and have experienced long-term decline

Welfare Considerations

Welfare threats include rodenticide secondary poisoning from eating poisoned prey, loss of rough grassland foraging habitat, nest site loss from woodland removal, and disturbance of communal winter roosts by birdwatchers. Field vole population crashes cause starvation in years of low prey availability, affecting adult body condition and breeding success.

What You Can Do

Avoid using first or second-generation rodenticides near owl habitat
Retain rough grassland margins on farms to support vole populations
Join citizen science monitoring schemes to track long-eared owl populations
Maintain respectful distance from winter roost sites to avoid disturbance