PEBOG Talk 9/6/09 |
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PEBOG (Pennine Edge Barn Owl Group) Evening
7 members of the PEBOG team came to
the MTVCA to give a powerpoint talk on "The
Elusive Barn Owl". We had a reasonable turn out and there was a good
atmosphere. Some of the members of the team gave a talk for around 10 minutes
on the subjects of the owl's life cycle, behaviour, hunting habits, and habitat.
It was extremely interesting and packed full of information. One very surprising
fact was that most of those who attended (outside of the
PEBOG group of course!) thought the
sound was "twit a woo" or "t-woo", it was revealed that it was actually a
screeching sound and not a sound at all associated with
owls.
Another member gave a brief overview of the work of
PEBOG and the fact that in recent months
they had erected around 21 boxes around Lancashire in order to encourage
barn owls to nest and mate and this was proving successful. They also appealed
for any sightings of barn owls to be reported to them so that an accurate
record can be kept of their numbers. They brought along an example of an
owl box they use. They are very heavy and have to be hauled up on the tree
by use of a rope pulley system. Then someone has to climb up and fasten them
to a tree with coach bolts to sustain the
weight. Tea, coffee and biscuits were served and people had a chance to mull around and chat. There was a lot of interest shown in the work which PEBOG did and a few new members were enrolled into their ranks. It was a really good evening. It is hoped that a display illustrating the work of the PEBOG group will be put up at No.5 Oaken Clough and a link is already on MTVCA's website. Keep up the brilliant work PEBOG!
Seen any Barn Owls recently?
The Pennine Edge Barn Owl Group
About Barn Owls
Why has the Barn Owl population declined? The barn owl is the most widely distributed owl in the world but sadly under threat in the UK where the population has declined by over 70% in the last 50 years. The barn owl was considered to be very common during the 19th century but has declined to such an extent that it is now a rare bird over much of Britain. To a large extent, Britain's Barn Owl population has become dependant on the provision and maintenance of nest boxes due to the lack of more natural sites. Nest and roost sites are lost through a wide variety of causes including the' general deterioration of traditional farm buildings, unsympathetic barn conversions, and loss of hollow trees due to Dutch Elm disease and the general 'tidying up' of the countryside. What are we doing? The provision of nest boxes for use by Barn Owls is believed to be one of the most important conservation measures and one of the easiest to implement. Across the UK, a wide range of organisations and individuals have erected well over 25,500 Barn Owl nest boxes. How you can help You can help to conserve the Barn Owl by becoming a member of the Peninne Edge Barn Owl Group (PEBOG) If you are a taxpayer and complete a simple Gift Aid declaration we can reclaim the tax paid on your donation and significantly increase the value of your gift at no extra cost to you
If you are a UK tax payer completing this Gift Aid form will enable us to reclaim the tax paid on your donation, thereby increasing the value of your gift at no extra cost to yourself. GIFT AID DECLARATION Full name ________________________________ Address ________________________________ Postcode ________________________________ I want the Pennine Edge Barn Owl Group to treat all donations I make on or after the date of this declaration as Gift Aid donations until I notify you otherwise. Signature______________________ Date ______________ Note: Do remember to tell us if you no longer pay an amount of income or capital gains tax equal to the tax we reclaim on your donations. Please contact us if you have any queries.
Improving habitat
Education
Information
Sightings
Communication and Co-operation
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![Barn Owl [life size!]](graphics/Pebog/JANMAY~2.jpg)
The
barn owl is an elegant looking bird with a distinctive heart shaped face
and relatively small black eyes. It has a white breast with golden plumage
to the back and head. It is the only owl that appears white when in flight.
Barn owls are nocturnal but can occasionally be seen in the early morning
and late afternoon. They do not hoot like Tawny owls. Instead they have a
variety of calls that sound more like screeches and snoring. Barn owls need
extensive areas of rough tussocky grassland in the form of whole fields or
field margins. This habitat is preferred by their favourite food source,
the short-tailed vole. 95% of a barn owl diet is small mammals such as voles,
mice and shrews. The owl eats its prey whole and disposes of the indigestible
bones and fur in a pellet. The barn owl is afforded special protection under
the Wildlife and Countryside act 1981 and has as much legal protection as
any wild bird can have in Britain.' Individual birds, their eggs and young
are protected at all times and nesting barn owls are protected against
disturbance.
