The Staffordshire Barn Owl Action Group (BOAG) was set up in 2001 after it was noted that there were only 30 records of barn owls (Tyto alba) in Staffordshire. This once common farmland bird has been in decline for the last 70 years, intially with changes in farming practices and the loss of habitat, especially hay meadows where it hunts and forages for its favoured prey, the field vole (Microtus agrestis). Today the barn owl struggles to survive as it encounters the hazards of busy roads resulting in high traffic mortality rates. The conversion of old barns and farm buildings have also resulted in a loss of barn owl roosting, nesting and hunting sites. The short-term effects of extreme weather is also impacting barn owl populations. With an estimated 70% decline in barn owl numbers in Britain, from the 1930's to the 1980's, the barn owl appears on the amber list for conservation, it is a Schedule 1 protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 and is a Staffordshire Biodiversity Action Plan Species.
Conservation success for the species can be promoted by creating the right habitat of rough grassland, rich in small mammals, with the provision of nest boxes to help maximise opportunities for barn owls.
To contact Staffordshire Barn Owl Action Group: E-mail [email protected] or Telephone Staffordshire Wildlife Trust 01889 880100.
Conservation success for the species can be promoted by creating the right habitat of rough grassland, rich in small mammals, with the provision of nest boxes to help maximise opportunities for barn owls.
To contact Staffordshire Barn Owl Action Group: E-mail [email protected] or Telephone Staffordshire Wildlife Trust 01889 880100.
