Mid Cheshire Barn
Owl Conservation Group
 
Decline
Law
Statistics
Prey
 
Send a sighting report
Membership application
Make a donation
Contact us
 
Statistics
 
During 2000, 19 breeding pairs of barn owl were confirmed in Cheshire at total of 20 breeding sites. Each pair produced between 0 and 5 young, with the average number of fledglings being 2.2 (several known nest sites were inaccessible in 2000 but this would not sigificantly alter this figure). It has been calculated that at least three fledglings per breeding pair are required to maintain stable barn owl population in Cheshire. The number of breeding pairs in 2000 appears to have increased over previous years however this has not been reflected by an increase in the average number of fledglings produced per pair, and the increased record of pairs is more likely to be due to the increasing network of recorders which is related to the increased membership of barn owl groups and increased public awareness.
 

Year

Breeding Pairs

Young

Average Fledglings

1932

240

n/k

n/k

1985

35

n/k

n/k

1998

7

17

2.42

1999

10

32

2.3

2000

19

46

2.2

2001

29
Estimated due to
Foot & Mouth Disease

  53

1.8 

2002

48

  110

  3.14

2003

61

167

3.1

2004

76

199

2.8

2005

123

316

3.1

 
The information recorded during 2005 has indicated the following nest box use:

 

Nest Boxes

Used by Barn Owls

% Use for breeding

West (Broxton)

220

33

15

Mid

155

26

16

Wirral

90

15

16

South

41

4

10

Total

506

55

11.6

The following Cheshire Barn Owl Groups reports are available in pdf format:

Cheshire Barn Owl Report 2002.pdf

Cheshire Barn Owl Report 2003.pdf

Cheshire Barn Owl Report 2005.pdf

Cheshire Barn Owl Report 2007.pdf

Cheshire Barn Owl Report 2008.pdf

All images © Ian Philip Jones 2001-2009, no permission to use any of them is implied.