Why is the Barn Owl Endangered? Barn owls have long captured our minds with their mesmerizing presence and silent flight. But the threat to these magnificent birds is increasing, bringing them closer to extinction.
What Are Barn Owls?
A common bird species worldwide, barn owls are distinguished by their eerie screeches, ghostly white faces, and exceptional quiet hunting skills.
As rodent predators, they are essential to the ecosystem and have long been associated with death or the afterlife in many civilizations.
Due to their extensive range, these owls have over 35 subspecies that differ in size and color and are found in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
The barn owl is scientifically named “Tyto alba” which means “white owl.” It is derived from the Greek words alba, which means white, and tyto, which means owl.
Several characteristics set barn owls apart from other Strigidae family members, such as their longer, narrower skull, longer legs, and wishbone fused to the sternum.
Appearance and Physical Characteristics
The most distinctive feature of the barn owl is its heart-shaped, dazzling white face. In contrast to many other owl species, they lack ear tufts and have smooth skulls.
The owl’s eyes are large and dark. Brown and gray feathers outline their faces and the backs of their wings and bodies.
The wings are round, short, and have a white underside. Some female barn owls possess markings on their chests and plumage, which make them more preferred by male owls.
To be buoyant when in flight, its feathers are designed to break up turbulent air and direct it over the wing. The owl’s velvety, stiff-edged feathers are used to comb the air, enabling its silent flying.
The owls range in weight from 0.88 to 1.54 pounds, with the largest weighing approximately 1.5 pounds. Males tend to be lighter and smaller than females.
These birds are about 12.5 and 15 inches tall. Their wingspan is between 39 and 49 inches.
Where Can Barn Owls Be Found?
These owls have many subspecies that are found in different environments throughout the world. They are species common to environments such as rich farmlands, or deserts.
Although most of them are called ‘barn owls’ because of their habits involving sleeping in deserted barns, they also love sleeping in empty tree holes or any other hollow constructions that include; observation towers and bridges.
These owls might live in areas like; urban areas, suburban areas, and many other places being they feel free to build their nests in any deserted structures.
What Do Barn Owls Eat?
Barn owls are largely rat and mouse hunters, as they are scavengers. Researchers have occasionally found frogs, smaller birds, or even fish as part of their feed.
Some small barn owls exist on islands, and they only feed on insects to survive.
Why is the Barn Owl Endangered?
The silvery white face and uncanny ability to move through the air without making any sound has made the barn owl one of the most popular figures of folklore ever since childhood.
Beneath its alluring exterior, though, is a concerning fact: the barn owl too is experiencing a gradual and consistent decline in many parts of the globe.
What is rendering it so challenging for this dusk till-dawn hunter to find food? Now it is time to discuss what made barn owls endangered animals – deforestation, climate change, and a few more; and how we prevent the barn owls from going extinct.
Barn owls are invaluably useful when it comes to the conservation of ecological balance. It is now widely recognized for excellent hunting skills and, therefore, helps minimize pest infestation as they primarily feed on small rodents such as mice and rats.
Due to this, they may consume nearly thousands of rodents in a year and thus are very useful to farmers and land owners.
Besides their being useful insect-eaters, barn owls are also used in literature and mythology, where they are considered symbols of mystery or wisdom.
However, the status of such important birds as barn owls remains more threatened than ever.
Conservationists are raising alarms as their numbers dwindle in many regions, prompting the urgent question: what is driving this decline?
1. Habitat Loss: The Primary Culprit
One of the biggest causes of barn owls’ endangerment is habitat concealment. Open country, fields and grasslands, forests, and farms where they are likely to find prey best suit these owls.
Nevertheless, these landscapes have rapidly changed due to the rapid transformation of agricultural and urban development.
READ ALSO:
- What Are Warthogs?
- Do Giraffes Have Vocal Cords?
- Why Bees Do The Waggle Dance?
- Why Are Axolotls Slowly Disappearing?
Urbanization: Due to habitat fragmentation due to the construction of roads, buildings, and infrastructure, barn owls have fewer hunting areas.
Agricultural Intensification: Hunting pressure has been reduced, and breeding habitats have been degraded because of the introduction of modern agriculture practices such as single-crop cultivation and pesticide application.
The shelters, nests, perches, and food—as well as old trees, barns, and hedgerows—are being destroyed at an increasing rate.
Barn owls are almost extinct because they often fail to find food and nests when there are no suitable habitats.
2. Pesticides and Rodenticides: Silent Killers
The other factor that has led to the decline of barn owls is that there is an enhanced use of pesticides in the tearing industry.
These birds are especially affected by rodenticides. Barn owls are succumbs to secondary poisoning and the toxins accumulate in barn owls once they eat poisoned rodents.
Literature shows that barn owls fed on rodents containing rodenticides exhibit immunosuppression, low reproductive rates, and death rates.
However, when they reduce the population of prey, insecticides also have an impact on barn owls in another way.
3. Climate Change and Extreme Weather
One relatively new threat that appears to affect barn owls is climate change. These birds require weather for hunting and breeding and the weather should be constant.
But with increased cases of severe winters, high rainfall, and long-drawn droughts; their life cycles are being cut short.
Droughts: Susceptible animal populations such as rodents can be reduced due to lower rainfall levels would mean that barn owls cannot find enough food to eat.
Heavy Rainfall: Barn owls are very sensitive to sounds and can hear their prey; however, it becomes hard in wet weather and will lead to flooding of nesting areas and reduced hunt rates.
Harsh Winters: Especially for the young owls, the extreme period of wintering may lead to starvation because finding food mice is virtually out of the question.
4. Collisions with Vehicles
Such areas of habitat and favorable food grounds as roadsides, where prey abundance is high, are popular hunting grounds for barn owls.
Tragically, they stand a great risk of being involved in auto accidents due to this activity.
It has been found that among all the factors that may cause the decline in the population of barn owls, road fatality stands out as the worst.
They are very vulnerable to being hit by a car especially because they are active at night and take very low altitudes.
5. Loss of Genetic Diversity
The genetic diversity of barn owls reduces in barn owls as their population reduces over time and the species disperses geographically.
This may prejudice the native species towards ill-health through inbreeding, and less the ability of the latter to cope with new conditions in its natural environment.
6. Lack of Public Awareness
People admire owls mainly barn owls but they are perched on enhancing knowledge of the challenges these birds encounter.
There is low conservation and little funding for programs designed to protect such birds due to low human awareness of their existence.
What Can Be Done to Save Barn Owls?
There is hope amid all the despair. People, along with communities, researchers, and conservationists are tirelessly working to save barn owls and their homes. The following are some tactics that can help:
Preserving Natural Habitats:
Governments and planners should pay the highest priority to the conservation and management of open grasslands, farmlands as well as hedgerows.
Barn owls are likely to greatly benefit from farmers who adopt wildlife-friendly practices like not cultivating the edges of fields.
Reducing Pesticide Use:
The above-illustrated impact of chemicals on barn owls’ population can be highly reduced by encouraging the adoption of organic farming and other pest control measures.
The dangers of rodenticides that affect the landowners should be explained and safer alternatives given.
Installing Nest Boxes:
The use of nest boxes has been proven to be a very effective conservation measure. Especially where traditional locations that would otherwise serve as ideal nesting areas have been destroyed, these boxes provide shelter for barn owls to breed.
Raising Public Awareness:
Support for barn owl conservation can be easily gathered through community activities and educational programs.
This way communities, farms, and schools therefore become self-motivated in the conservation of these species.
Research and Monitoring:
However, for people to appreciate the challenges experienced by barn owls and be in a position to develop appropriate conservation strategies, further research is required.
It may be useful to monitor populations to identify the areas which need the focus most.
One of the best examples of people causing harm to nature is the becoming rare of barn owls. These birds deserve protection due to their place in the balance of ecosystems and overt beauty.
The largest threat to barn owls involves controlling factors including habitat destruction, poisoning, climate change, and road mortality meaning we can ensure the species a better future.
That said, time is of great importance. Everything done aims at achieving the broader goal of protecting this last iconic species.
Everyone can contribute to preventing the barn owl from extinction by putting up a nest box, supporting conservation efforts, and familiarizing ourselves with the subject.