BIRDWATCH Ireland is undertaking a survey of Barn Owls in Kerry this summer and they are requesting the assistance of the public and landowners to report information on Barn Owls to help direct the survey efforts.
Over recent decades, Barn Owl populations have suffered extensive declines and are now a Red-listed Bird of Conservation Concern in Ireland.
Although Barn Owl populations have declined over recent decades, Kerry has remained a stronghold for the population.
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The county holds one of the highest number of known nest sites in the country, and recent conservation efforts to help Barn Owls in Kerry, which has included providing purpose-built nest boxes, and ensuring protection of known nest sites, have proved successful.
The Barn Owl survey in Kerry (supported by Kerry County Council through the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s National Biodiversity Action Plan Fund) aims to establish how Barn Owls are currently faring in the county and to determine how the conservation measures previously implemented are working.
The findings of the survey will be used to ensure the protection of nest sites and to direct targeted conservation efforts which will include the provision of nest boxes to help the local population.
Michael O’Clery, of the Kerry Branch of BirdWatch Ireland, who leads the Barn Owls survey in Kerry, commented; “it is a very interesting time for Barn Owls in Kerry, the population seems to be doing well and it is great to see how many of our nest boxes have been taken up by Barn Owls and used for nesting. The Greater White-toothed Shrew, which is an introduced small mammal, is present in neighbouring counties and although it has not been recorded in Kerry yet, it will likely soon colonise and it will be interesting to see what affect this has on the local Barn Owl population”.
To assist the survey efforts, BirdWatch Ireland are requesting information on Barn Owls in the county.
John Lusby of BirdWatch Ireland explained the citizen science element of the survey; “It is a very special experience to glimpse the ghostly form of the Barn Owl floating silently over their hunting grounds in the dead of night, or to hear their eerie screeches and strange snoring calls. Everybody remembers such an encounter, and we are asking people to report this information to us, which will greatly help our survey efforts to locate nest sites and to determine the health of the population”.
He added, “we are also looking for information on Barn Owl nest boxes in the county, we have installed nest boxes throughout the county but so have many different groups and individuals who have gone to great effort to help Barn Owls in Kerry. We hope to get a better idea of how many nest boxes are in place and the portion that are being used by Barn Owl, and we would ask that anyone that has put up a nest box to let us know“.
The Biodiversity Officer of Kerry County Council says that Kerry County Council is delighted to support the survey and hopes the project will ensure the iconic barn owl continues to form a part of the county’s biodiversity into the future.
You can help the survey and conservation efforts by reporting any information that you have on Barn Owls in the county by visiting here or by visiting the BirdWatch Ireland website
BirdWatch Ireland also stress that Barn Owls are a protected species and can be very sensitive to disturbance, and that potential nest sites should never be approached or interfered with in any way.
To report information on Barn Owls in Kerry, visit here: https://birdwatchireland.ie/our-work/surveys-research/research-monitoring/raptors/barn-owl-survey/