Barn Owls in Northern Ireland

Help Ulster Wildlife’s barn owl project, Be There for Barn Owls.

We need to know more about the barn owl in order to turn around its declining population in Northern Ireland. We use sightings to help identify where barn owls may be nesting in order to protect the nest site and enhance foraging habitat where it is most needed.

If you see or hear a barn owl please submit your record below

Barn Owl © Richard Bowler
Picture: Barn Owl © Richard Bowler


Honey-coloured back & wings and white underneath with a white heart-shaped face, the barn owl is a distinctive farmland bird but rarely seen in daylight in Northern Ireland. Most often reported as a large, white, ghost-like bird seen in car headlights at night. Only about 250mm from head to feet, broad wings and long wingspan make it appear much larger in flight.

Found throughout Northern Ireland but seem to avoid higher ground; can be seen throughout the year hunting for small mammals on open countryside (not within woods).

Most often confused with long-eared owl; our other resident nocturnal owl in Northern Ireland

In headlights © Barn Owl Trust
Picture: In headlights © Barn Owl Trust


Please provide as much information as possible.
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Both checkboxes can be selected if required

Click to hear barn owl sounds: Barn owl screech/Chicks snoring


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Your details (please note: We will only use your email address if we need to contact you about your record.
If you are logged into the system, please do not lock these values. The information will be auto-filled from your account profile. ).
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Any additional recorder(s) names.
Date of your sighting.
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Barn owl sites
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Typical barn owl pellet (held in hand)

Barn Owl Pellet

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Select a record sensitivity (recommended if you suspect a roost/nesting site or you found pellets)
Sensitivity

This is the precision that the record will be shown at for public viewing

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By clicking on the map the spatial reference will autofill. The more you zoom in, the more accurate the grid reference.

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For example the nearest town, village, park, nature reserve etc.
Please do not enter a postal address as the information you provide will be visible to others.


Notes about using the map:
  • use the + sign on the right hand side of the map to change the base mapping used from Google to OpenStreetMap.
  • To create an accurate and useful record, use your mouse to drag the area of interest to the centre of the map window and use the zoombar on the left hand side to zoom in tight to the area where you made the sighting. When you have zoomed in, click on the location - this will autofill the Spatial Reference box above.