A new record has been set for the longest recorded distance travelled by a juvenile Barn Owl within Ireland.
Unfortunately, the bird in question was found as a road casualty by Brian Hegarty on the 11th of February, on a dual carriageway just NE of Derry, in Northern Ireland. It was possibly to identify this bird as it had been previously fitted with a metal ring on it's leg. It turns out it had been ringed as a chick on the 10th of July 2015 by John Lusby, at a nest site near Farranfore, Co. Kerry.
Barn Owl chick, one of four from the nest box near Farranfore in July 2015 (M.O'Clery, under licence from NPWS).
As the owl flies, this is a straight-line distance of just over 350 km, though of course the actual distance travelled is likely to be considerably further. Either way, this is almost over twice that of any previously recorded movement of a juvenile dispersing Barn Owl within Ireland, so far.
The straight-line distance travelled by this young owl was about 353 Km.
The chick was one of four hatched in a uniquely designed nest box, one set on top of a chimney of a disused cottage. It was one of the first Barn Owl nest boxes installed in Co. Kerry (in 2009), and it has proved to be particularly productive, with chicks fledging from this site every year since.
Placed on top of the chimney of a disused cottage, the Barn Owl nest box is made of marine ply and roofing felt, and weighted down by paving slabs on the lid. It has survived some of the worst weather Kerry has thrown at it, though it needed some roof repairs in 2014 (M.O'Clery).
There are actually three nest boxes at this site, originally placed as an experiment to see which the birds might favour: one inside the attic of the cottage (accessible through the gable window in the photo); one high in the apex of the adjacent barn, and one on top of the chimney. While all have been used by owls for roosting, the 'chimney box' is the only one which has been used for nesting.
John Lusby, Raptor Officer with BirdWatch Ireland, returning a chick to the 'chimney box' after ringing, in 2012 (M.O'Clery).
Barn Owls are able to breed in their first year and, after their first winter, almost all will have dispersed and set up a home range from which they most likely will never leave. Thanks to the monitoring and ringing work we are learning about Barn Owl life histories including their dispersal patterns. The map below shows some of the Barn Owl recoveries recorded through this work with the average distance travelled by young birds from the nest being about 35 km.
Ringing recoveries of Barn Owls in Ireland to the end of 2013.
Barn Owl chick, one of four from the nest box near Farranfore in July 2015 (M.O'Clery, under licence from NPWS).
Many thanks to Brian Hegarty for reporting the ringed Barn Owl.
All Barn Owl ringing is carried out under licence to NPWS and the BTO.
