Good news for canal barn owls

Barn Owls are one of Britain's most reclusive, yet most treasured birds, and canalside nesting boxes were between Knottingley and Goole to help protect the threatened species.

The boxes were inspected late last week and many young owl chicks were found nesting.

The aim of the scheme has been to provide additional nesting options for the barn owls as traditional haunts disappear in order to preserve their population.

Because barn owls are a protected species, British Waterways work alongside The Wildlife Conservation Partnership to carry out annual maintenance and monitoring. They are licensed to handle the owls and ring them so biodiversity specialists can better understand the process by which the owl population is recovering.

Phillippa Baron, senior ecologist for British Waterways, said: "Owls face a number of threats including the cutting down of trees, the destruction of natural grasslands and barn conversions, so it's really important we protect them. We also found some nesting kestrels so the scheme is clearly working well which is really satisfying.

Colin Shawyer, of the Wildlife Conservation Partnership added: "We are delighted that British Waterways are involved with us in a national project to secure the recovery of Britain's barn owl population alongside canals and other waterways."