Record number of barn owl chicks fledge at nature reserve

Barn owl populations became very low in the 1960s and 1970s

A wildlife trust is celebrating a record year for barn owl chicks at one of its nature reserves, after the resident couple raised two broods.

Fourteen barn owl juveniles fledged at Cossington Meadows in Leicestershire, beating the site's previous record of 12 in 2019.

Populations declined in previous years but are now recovering, Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust said.

Chris Hill, from the charity, said the new record was "incredible".

Owl boxes were put in trees at Cossington Meadows to encourage them to breed

The trust said it first noticed owls occasionally breeding at Cossington Meadows, which it manages, and on adjoining property in the early 2000s.

Barn owl boxes were put in suitable trees to encourage them to breed, however there was no evidence of breeding until 2015 when a single chick was laid.

Mr Hill, a conservation officer at the trust, said: "It started early this year, we had a few chicks fledge and we thought 'hopefully they'll have a second brood' and they did.

"It was a big success. In the end we had 14 juveniles fledge."

Numbers recovering

Barn owl populations became very low nationally in the 1960s and 1970s, the trust said.

Their numbers have since recovered but they remain protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Each chick from Cossington Meadows has been ringed to allow it to be tracked.

Mr Hill said: "Like all wildlife they can't stick around in their parents' territory because there wouldn't be enough food.

"At the moment, they're probably somewhere in the locality but I'd say by early December they'll have flown off to try and find their own territory."

Past fledglings have been recorded in Newark, Nottingham, Thrussington, and along the River Wreake, he said.