Mid Cheshire Barn
Owl Conservation Group
 
Habitat needed
Habitat lost
Habitat maintenance
Habitat corridors
Habitat grants
Nest sites lost
Nest site maintenace
Nest Boxes
Causes of death

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Habitat lost
The expansion of industry and housing into the countryside has taken away hunting grounds, nesting sites and corridors. Even though open countryside may be nearby the rough grassland barn owls need is also disappearing.
 
The introduction of more efficient and intensive land use, larger fields worked right up to their boundaries and the cutting or removal of hedgerows has resulted in large scale loss of rough grassland. This has been very advantagous to land users but unfortunately this loss of rough grassland has been to the disadvantage of the barn owl.
 
Even on land where good habitat remains barn owls can disappear because they are isolated from from other barn owls by large unbroken expanses of lost habitat. This isolation makes it difficult for young birds to disperse and maintain a stable population.
 
Although there are other factors which have caused the decline of the barn owl, loss of habitat is considered the most significant and is a major impediment to the conservation of the species.

 

All images © Ian Philip Jones, no permission to use any of them is implied.