BARN OWLS, CUMBRIA, LIVE WEBCAMS

Local time
Location: Cumbria, North West England
Source: Beyond the Hedgerows
Info: Live streaming webcams showing two barn owl nest boxes on a farm in Cumbria, North West England. These stunning birds have successfully reared six broods since 2020, with over 18 young owlets fledging from the nest.

To view more webcams with owls in the British Isles, visit : Live Owl Webcams, UK

More info: The barn owl is easily recognised by its distinctive heart-shaped white face and may often be spotted flying low over hedgerows and fields at dawn and dusk. For nightime hunting, the barn owl has stealthy and silent flight and the heart-shaped facial disc focuses sounds which along with its asymmetric ears gives precise location of the prey.

The barn owl diet consists mainly of small mammals and in particular, field voles, shrews and wood mice. They swallow prey whole, later regurgitating indigestible parts (bones, fur) in pellets. A barn owl will typically eat 3 to 4 prey items a night, but during the breeding season, a pair of barn owls will, ideally, find this amount for each owlet as well.

Barn owls can only hunt efficiently in fine weather as rain and wind hinders their search for prey so they will often stockpile enough food to last a day or two.

Barn Owls feeding their Chicks:

Video courtesy of BBC Earth

Additional Information :

Barn Owl - RSPB - rspb.org.uk

Barn Owl Facts - The Barn Owl Trust - barnowltrust.org.uk

The Barn Owl Centre - barnowl.co.uk

National History Museum - nhm.ac.uk