SPIRIT IN THE SKY

BARN OWLS HUNTING | As the light fades away, the ghostly barn owl takes flight, quietly quartering fields in search of voles

- Mike Dilger

WHILE THE ROBIN HOLDS THE MANTLE of 'nation's favourite', surely our most loved owl must be the strikingly beautiful barn owl. Most often spotted when either flashing through car headlights or quartering rough grasslands at dusk, the ghostly spectacle of a hunting barn owl can perform the simple magic trick of lifting the gloomiest of spirits.

One of the world's most widespread bird species, with a presence on every continent bar Antarctica, the barn owl can also be encountered across much of lowland Britain. Following a number of difficult decades, when changes to farmland management presided over a perilous population decline, a thorough understanding of the owl's needs has seen a marked improvement in its fortunes. Recent estimates suggest a breeding population of about 9,000 pairs, so with a little bit of insider knowledge, the chance of catching up with this spectacle is quite possibly the best it's been for a generation.

Did you know? Grassy margins around fields, especially along hedges and ditches, provide important sources of small prey