Barn Owl

With a heart shaped face, buff back and wings and pure white under-parts the Barn Owl is a distinctive and much-loved bird of the countryside.

Barn Owls are widely distributed across the UK and can be seen all year round sometimes during the day but normally at dusk in open country and along field edges, riverbanks and roadside verges.

Barn owls have suffered population declines over the past 50 years as a result of habitat degradation following increasing intensive agricultural practices. However, that decline has stopped in many areas and their population may now be increasing.

Date: 06/05/07

Location: Abberton Reservoir, Essex