Barn owl ringing helps measure nature recovery
- Published:
- 09 October 2026
A new barn owl ringing programme in Purbeck is helping us track one of Britain's most iconic birds, while building a clearer picture of how nature-friendly farming benefits wildlife.
In a joint project between Birds of Poole Harbour, Carey Ringing Station and the National Trust, 15 barn owl chicks and one adult were ringed at nest sites across three areas of farmland where the owls hunt and breed.
This was the first of what will be an annual ringing programme, providing vital information about barn owl survival, breeding success, movements and mortality rates. Crucially, it will help measure whether conservation-focused farming practices are creating better conditions for barn owls and the small mammals they depend on for food.
Kate Fox, licenced bird ringer and ornithologist from Carey Ringing Station, said:
"Ringing provides invaluable scientific data about these birds, which can’t be gained from observations alone. Barn owls are striking birds, but it's very difficult to tell individuals apart. If birds move to a different nest box, we won't know whether it's a new pair or birds we've recorded elsewhere unless they have been ringed."
The ringing is carried out under a special licence and follows strict guidance from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). Barn Owls are a Schedule 1 breeding species, meaning that it is illegal to disturb them during the breeding season without a licence.
Kate added: "After a poor barn owl breeding season was reported last year across the UK, the team decided it was worthwhile monitoring them locally, especially with the landscape recovery work in Purbeck. This year saw a bounce back in the number of chicks nationally, and it’s great to see the Purbeck birds following this trend. We’re hoping to expand the project next year by putting up and monitoring more boxes.”
With their distinctive heart-shaped faces, buff-coloured backs and white underparts, barn owls are among Britain's most recognisable farmland birds. They hunt mainly at night, flying silently over fields and hedgerows in search of mice, voles and shrews. Their exceptional eyesight and hearing allow them to locate prey even in total darkness.
Mark Singleton, National Trust Countryside Manager for Purbeck, said: "This is an exciting project, and a first for us in Purbeck. Although barn owl numbers have declined dramatically over the last century, there are encouraging signs that they may be recovering locally.
"Our tenant farmers are managing land in ways that support wildlife, including creating areas of longer grass, maintaining hedgerows and encouraging patches of scrub. These habitats support the voles and other small mammals that barn owls rely on. By monitoring ringed birds over many years, we'll be able to assess how effective these measures are and continually improve what we're doing."
Unfortunately, barn owls face a range of threats. Recent droughts and heavy rains have affected numbers, but road traffic collisions are one of the most common causes of death.
Barn owls have long captured the imagination with their ghostly appearance and eerie calls. Across different cultures they have been seen as symbols of wisdom, guardians of the home or messengers from the spirit world.
