At the start of the 20th century, Barn Owls were a common sight across the British countryside. But changes in farming and construction practices drastically reduced their numbers. The removal of hedgerows, modernisation of old barns, and widespread use of pesticides and rodenticides meant not only fewer places to nest, but also a dramatic decline in prey.

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By the 1970s and 1980s, Barn Owl populations in many areas had reached alarmingly low levels. Their recovery since then is largely thanks to tireless conservation work. The installation of nesting boxes, ongoing monitoring of breeding success, and better habitat management—such as restoring grass margins and maintaining rough pasture—have all played a vital role in supporting the species’ recovery.

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This small photo project offers a glimpse into one aspect of that work: the ringing and weighing of owl fledglings. I had the opportunity to document this process alongside a licensed ringer during the breeding season. Each chick was handled carefully and only for a short time, before being returned safely to the nest box. It’s a small but essential part of a broader effort to understand population trends and improve long-term conservation strategies.

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Still, significant threats remain. Many young owls perish while dispersing from their birthplace in search of a territory of their own—a journey that often brings them into contact with roads, where collisions are sadly common. 

The use of rodenticides continues to pose risks, both through direct poisoning and by reducing populations of voles and mice, which Barn Owls depend on almost exclusively. 

In addition, climate change has introduced new challenges: prolonged droughts and intense rainfall events can dramatically affect prey availability, especially during the breeding season when food demand is highest.

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Protecting Barn Owls means addressing a wide range of human-caused pressures, from the way we manage our land to the impacts of climate change. Nest boxes and monitoring schemes are vital stopgaps, but they are no substitute for a healthy landscape where owls can thrive without our constant intervention. If we are serious about long-term recovery—not just for Barn Owls, but for the ecosystems they depend on—then we need to look beyond conservation and start changing the systems that made it necessary in the first place.