BirdWatch Ireland in partnership with the Heritage Office of Galway County Council undertook a survey of barn owls in the county, the results of which show that the fortunes of this iconic farmland bird may be changing, as barn owls were recorded returning to parts of the county where they have been absent for decades.
The ghostly form of the Barn Owl, drifting silently over their hunting grounds in the dead of night, was a more common sight in the Irish countryside in generations past. The eerie screech of the Barn Owl, which gave rise to myths of the Banshee, was a familiar and welcomed sound in the early Spring. The presence of barn owls on the farm, and even in the farmyard, was embraced due to the preference of these highly efficient hunters for feeding on rats and mice, lending them the title of ‘the farmers’ friend’.
The Irish countryside is now very different, as farming practices have become more intensive, barn owls like so many of our formerly widespread and common farmland birds have suffered immensely. In Galway, barn owls have become an increasingly rare sight and their bloodcurdling screech has vanished from many parts of the county in recent decades. Surveys show that barn owls were widespread in the east of the county in the late 1960s, but 40 years later their numbers had diminished, and their range had contracted significantly in east Galway and they were incredibly rare west of Lough Corrib.
However, a recent survey carried out by BirdWatch Ireland in partnership with Galway County Council with the support of the National Biodiversity Action Plan Fund, provides cause for optimism and the first evidence that the fortunes of barn owls may be changing in east Galway.
The Barn Owl survey enlisted the help of farmers and the general public who reported information on barn owls across the county, and the survey also involved systematically checking a wide range of ruined structures, which are the typical nesting sites of Barn Owl. This included ruined buildings which were previously known to be occupied by Barn Owl over the last thirty years.
Scarce in the west
This provided a reliable indication of Barn Owl trends and their distribution across the county. The results were positive, as barn owls were recorded across the majority of the east of the county, however, still remain scarce in the west. Nonetheless, this represents a significant increase on the known breeding range of barn owls ten years ago, which indicates that Barn Owl populations may be slowly recovering after a period of extensive declines.
John Lusby, of BirdWatch Ireland, who coordinated the survey commented ‘the observed increase in barn owls in Galway is incredibly positive to witness, although they are still rare and occur in low numbers, the fact that the population seems to be slowly recovering after declines over many decades is to be welcomed’.
“The reasons behind this change in fortunes are not fully understood, since many of the threats to barn owls such as habitat loss and rodenticide poisoning still remain. These changes may be more related to the recent arrival of introduced small mammal species to Galway, which barn owls feed on. It is therefore really important that we do not become complacent and that we ensure to take advantage of these short-term increases to try and secure the future of this iconic farmland bird in the county by taking measures that will benefit them and other wildlife in the long-term.”
The survey also highlighted the importance of built heritage sites in the county for wildlife, Marie Mannion, the Heritage Officer for Galway County Council said they now know the immense value of some of our historic ruined structures for wildlife, some of these buildings have been occupied by barn owls over a period of 80 years, and the survey showed that many other birds also nest within these structures including Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Swift and Raven’.
“Just as positive as observing these increases in barn owls, was how this survey was received and helped by landowners and the general public, who played a huge part in increasing our understanding of barn owls in the county. We also found that many farmers have taken it upon themselves to improve their farms to support barn owls, including reducing use of rodenticides and putting up nest boxes for barn owls’.
“Now that the census is complete, the next phase of the project is focusing on providing safe and secure nest sites – in the form of nest boxes - in areas where there is suitable habitat and where barn owls should thrive. BirdWatch Ireland will once again be asking for the help of the farming community and local community groups to come on board, and to help with providing nest boxes and identifying suitable sites for nest boxes,” says Heritage Officer Marie Mannion.
A range of conservation guidance videos were also produced through this project, to guide local landowners in helping barn owls and biodiversity on their farms, for example by enhancing habitat and reducing use of rodenticides.
The Barn Owl Survey and conservation initiatives in County Galway was coordinated by BirdWatch Ireland in partnership with Galway County Council with the support of the National Biodiversity Action Plan Fund, administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
