Barn Owls

The quieter parts of the river valleys in the Malmesbury area are ideally suited to the barn owl (sometimes called the screech owl because of the strange sound of its call)  Barn owls hunt on the rough tussocky grassland often found at the river's edge, and they like sheltered areas, preferring valleys to high windy places.  They rarely nest more than 500 ft above sea level.  It is a much rarer bird nowadays, in danger of disappearing from our countryside.  An estimated 3,800 pairs remain in England and Wales with an alarmingly reduced population in the North Wiltshire area.

The single greatest reason for its decline is the loss of the grassy corridors alongside fields, hedges, rivers, woods and ditches - the most suitable habitat for its prey of voles, mice, rats and shrews.  Hunting on field edges and ditch banks also makes the barn owl very vulnerable to being hit by traffic and, sadly, many of these birds are killed by cars and trains.  To add to its problems, many old barns and deserted buildings, favourite nesting sites, have been converted or demolished, and the old hollow trees, which it also favours, may have disappeared through recent gales or Dutch Elm Disease. Barn Owls can also die from eating rats and mice which have been poisoned.

The barn owl is a striking-looking bird, appearing almost completely white when seen in flight, with a heart-shaped face.  It is shy and mainly nocturnal, needing undisturbed sites in which to nest.