A LEADING conservation charity has asked people to listen out for 'strange snoring sounds' to help track barn owl nests.
Ulster Wildlife said when hungry barn owl chicks call out to their parents they make a rasping sound often referred to as snoring.
There are only three known barn owl nest sites in the north and fewer than 30 to 50 breeding pairs. The birds do not make nests and instead nest in old buildings, hollow tree trunks or occasionally nest boxes.
Catherine Fegan, barn owl officer with the charity, said it was keen to hear from anyone who heard tell-tale snores at night.
"This call is exclusively associated with a nest site, and can be faint, but gets ever louder as the chicks grow and venture out of their nest," she said.
"If you do hear ‘snoring’ or screeching sounds as you lie at night with your windows open it could indicate that a nest is nearby and we'd love to hear about it."
The charity is working with farmers to attract owls.
Farmer Michael Calvert, of Barnwell Farm near Greyabbey, Co Down, has left some of his field margins untouched to make them a better habitat for field mice - a favoured prey of owls.
He put up a nest box seven years ago and last year two chicks were born in it. A further two chicks were born this summer.
Ms Fegan said teams of volunteers will scour the countryside this month to look for nest sites.
"We know there must be more nest sites like Michael’s out there, but as barn owls range far in search of food, sightings of adult birds can be up to eight kilometres away from the nest," she said.
"The unmistakeable ‘snoring’ from chicks at this time of year is the best hope we have of finding one and giving this endangered bird a fighting chance."
To report any strange snoring sounds or sightings of barn owls, contact Catherine Fegan on 028 9046 3112 or email catherine.fegan@ulsterwildlife.org
Barn Owl Facts
- The barn owl is a Red List species in Ireland.
- The barn owl is nocturnal and hunts mainly at dawn and dusk.
- Its favoured hunting habitat is rough, ungrazed grassland.
- It is silent in flight, but is often referred to as the ‘screech owl’ due to the ear-splitting sound it can emit.
- Its efficiency in eating small mammals, such as mice and shrews, has earned it the nickname ‘the farmer’s friend.’
- It is illegal to look in barn owl nest boxes without a special licence.
- Barn owls don’t make nests. They nest in old buildings, hollow tree trunks or occasionally nest boxes.
- Pairs will use the same location to breed every year.
- Egg laying starts between early March and mid September.
- Each pair will have 1 or 2 broods a year of between 4 to 6 eggs
- Incubation time is around 32 days
- Chicks fledge after 53-61 days
