Barn Owls – Our Top Predator

February 2011

This year we are going to be involved with an important Nature Friendly Farming research project that aims to measure just how successful we and other Nature Friendly Farming members have been by seeing how many Barn Owls have been breeding on our farms.

The Barn Owl is one of the UK’s top predators.  At the top of the food chain, Barn Owls can only survive if there is a fully functioning ecosystem around them.  This starts with healthy soil growing nectar, pollen and seed producing flowers and plants, which in turn support healthy populations of insects, birds and small mammals.  A regular supply of the latter are critical to keep the Owls going – with a nesting pair needing 1,000 small mammals a year.

Our farms which grow Steve’s Leaves have recorded several successful rearings of barn owls in the boxes we provide over the years.  However, this will be the first time we will have independent experts on the farms monitoring the goings on, so all eyes will be on our nest boxes this summer!

Further information on Barn Owls available on The Barn Owl Trust Web-site.