New nest boxes in Howardian Hills see first chicks hatch amid conservation success

More than 50 specially designed nesting boxes have been installed over the last nine months across the 79 square mile Howardian Hills National Landscape in North Yorkshire, in a link up with farmers and land managers.

And conservationists checking boxes last month reported barn owls had already begun to move in, some even producing eggs.And now the first healthy chicks have hatched.Experts visited two boxes and fitted three owlets with rings carrying a unique number to help identify them in the future, with the two females and one male were found to be in excellent condition.Nick Burrows, from the Howardian Hills National Landscape, said: “We were expecting to have to be patient as owls need time to find the boxes and establish themselves. So we are overjoyed that we already have chicks, despite the exceptionally wet weather for much of the year.

"The Howardian Hills is prime barn owl territory and this project is a great way of supporting one of our most iconic feathered residents."Barn owls traditionally nest in tree hollows or in old farm buildings, but both these habitats have declined significantly, and special nesting boxes are vital to make up for the lack of suitable places, with around 80 per cent of the UK’s barn owl population now thought use artificial nests.Barn owl expert Colin Gibson said: “We often hear about nature struggling, but barn owl numbers have actually increased compared with 20 years ago. That’s in large part due to providing ready made nests. However, there’s no room for complacency given how the species has struggled in the past across the UK. This kind of project we have in the Howardian Hills is making a big difference.”Mr Gibson is a former steelworker and policeman from Redcar, who began making owl boxes after retiring.

He has since become an authority on the species, working alongside fellow retiree, Chris Gibson, from Scaling Dam near Whitby. Both are licensed handlers.

Mr Gibson added: “When we checked boxes a few months ago we found 15 of them had signs that barn owls had inhabited them, seven had signs of breeding, with 25 eggs being laid. Given nest boxes had only been up for a matter of months that was a surprise. But the wet weather meant most of these didn’t hatch or failed. However, the amount of activity we’ve seen is very encouraging. Clearly there are lots of barn owls around.

"It’s still possible some pairs may try for a second brood this year given fair weather. The chicks we’ve ringed will probably stay very close to where they hatched. They also will breed in their first year, so they may well find a home in other nearby boxes.”