Barn Owl Surveys

Barn Owls are specially adapted to hunt small mammals in open habitats at low light levels. They catch their prey (of which field voles form a large part) in flight or occasionally from perches such as trees and fence posts. Ideal habitat includes large areas of rough tussocky grassland (with a close thatch at the base) as this provides shelter for key prey items, but strips of suitable habitat along field margins may be used over a wider area. Farm buildings with good numbers of rats and mice are also used.