The harsh reality, a Barn Owl killed by vehicle collision on the Tralee bypass yesterday (with thanks to P.McDermott).
This is the second Barn Owl killed on the Tralee bypass (that we know about) after one was found dead there in October last (see post below). Roads are a notorious killer of Barn Owls, as they generally hunt low and slow and as a result, are extremely vulnerable to traffic collision when crossing fast roads, especially on embanked sections where the birds fly low across the line of traffic. The Tralee bypass has several such lengthy embanked sections which makes it particularly lethal to Barn Owls.
The Barn Owl bore a ring on its' leg which revealed it had ben ringed as a female chick near Firies in Co. Kerry in July 2012, about 11km to the south. She was the eldest of a brood of three chicks. It is quite likely that she would had nested in the vicinity of Tralee in summer 2013.
John Lusby retrieving one of three chicks at the nest site where this Barn Owl was ringed in July 2012 (M.O'Clery).
The female Barn Owl, ringed, and ready to be put back into the nest. She would fledge within days of this photograph (M.O'Clery).
This female also featured in the wildlife documentary 'Living the Wild Life', which featured on RTE television in April and December 2013 (M.O'Clery).
The owl, being held by John Lusby shortly before being put back into the nest, in July 2012 (M. O'Clery).
