barnowltrust.org.uk

If you find an injured or young Barn Owl in the UK, the Barn Owl Trust advises a clear sequence: identify the owl species, check it over for injuries or illness, decide on the right next step, and get help from a local contact. The Trust's website provides a directory to find your nearest Barn Owl Group, Owl Rescue Centre, or Professional Surveyor, plus guidance on owl care and a confidential survey site for reporting sightings. The steps below follow that structure.

First, confirm what you are looking at

Not every owl on the ground is a Barn Owl, and not every young owl needs rescuing. The Trust's owl care guidance starts with species identification because it affects both handling and who you contact.

Barn Owls are distinctive: a white, heart-shaped face, pale underparts, and golden-buff upperparts. If the bird does not match, it may be a Tawny Owl, Little Owl, or another species, and different advice applies.

Is it actually a young owl in trouble?

Young Barn Owls leave the nest before they can fly well and are often found on the ground or in low vegetation. This is normal for the species. The Trust's guidance is to check the bird over rather than assume it needs rescue.

Check the owl over for injuries or illness

The Trust's owl care section sets out what to look for before you decide on next steps. Work quietly and keep handling to a minimum.

Signs that suggest injury or illness include:

• Obvious wounds, blood, or a drooping or dragging wing
• A leg that is not bearing weight or looks misaligned
• Laboured breathing, or discharge from the eyes or nostrils
• A bird that is cold, unresponsive, or unable to stand
• A young bird that is thin, weak, or has been on the ground for an extended period

If the owl is alert, standing, and simply unable to fly yet, it may not need to be moved. If any of the signs above are present, it needs help.

Decide what to do next

The Trust's owl care guidance covers what to do with the owl next and how to get help. The practical decision is:

Do not attempt to treat injuries yourself or feed the owl unless a rescue centre tells you to.

Find your nearest help

The Barn Owl Trust's Directory of local contacts is the starting point for finding your nearest Barn Owl Group, Owl Rescue Centre, or Professional Surveyor. Use it to get a contact who covers your area before you need one.

If you cannot reach a rescue centre immediately, keep the owl in a quiet, dark, ventilated box away from pets and children, and do not offer food or water unless advised.

Report the sighting

The Trust asks that all Barn Owl nests, roost sites, and sightings — dead or alive — anywhere in the UK be reported on its confidential Survey website. This applies whether or not the bird needed rescue, and it feeds into the Trust's wider conservation and research work.

Where to read the full guidance

The Barn Owl Trust website is a small UK charity working to conserve Barn Owls and their environment. The relevant sections for this situation are:

• Owl Care — identifying the species, checking for injuries or illness, what to do next, and how to get help
• Directory of local contacts — nearest Barn Owl Group, Owl Rescue Centre, or Professional Surveyor
• Survey website — confidential reporting of nests, roosts, and sightings

The same site also covers Barn Owl facts, nestboxes, habitat management, hazards and solutions, and professional courses such as BOESS and ABOSM, but the owl care and directory pages are the ones to use when you have a bird in front of you.

The Barn Owl Trust's habitat guidance is built around one core idea: Barn Owls need rough, tussocky grassland with a deep litter layer where small mammals can live, plus safe places to roost and nest nearby. If you manage land in the UK and want to make it better for Barn Owls, the practical starting point is to create and protect that rough grass habitat, then add or maintain roosting and nesting places, and finally reduce the hazards that kill owls. The Trust publishes this guidance as a small UK charity working to conserve Barn Owls and the species that share their habitat.

Start with the habitat Barn Owls actually need

Barn Owls hunt almost entirely by sound, flying low over open ground, so their foraging success depends on prey density and access rather than on any single crop or feature.

The key habitat requirements are:

• Rough, tussocky grassland with a litter layer at the base — this is where Field Voles and other small mammals live and breed.
• A mosaic of grass heights, so there is cover for prey and open ground for owls to hunt over.
• Field margins and uncropped strips left rough rather than cut short or sprayed.
• Roosting and nesting places close to good foraging habitat, because owls will not travel far from a safe roost to feed.

The Trust's habitat section covers how to manage land for Barn Owls along with roosting and nesting places, so the two are treated as connected rather than separate tasks.

What this means in practice

• Leave some areas uncut or cut on a long rotation so tussocks and litter build up.
• Avoid treating field margins, ditches and rough corners as waste ground to be cleaned up.
• Keep grazing light enough that grass does not become uniformly short.
• Retain older trees, hedgerows and buildings that offer roost sites.

Provide roosting and nesting places

Habitat alone is not enough if there is nowhere safe to rest and breed. The Trust separates this into nestboxes and habitat management, and nestbox guidance covers where to put a box, how to build one, maintenance, and buying a pre-made one.

For land management specifically:

• Keep existing roost sites. Barn Owls use holes in trees, old buildings, barns and similar structures. Repairing or converting these can remove the very features owls rely on.
• Add nestboxes where natural sites are missing, sited according to the Trust's nestbox guidance rather than wherever is convenient.
• Maintain boxes — the Trust lists maintenance as part of nestbox care, so plan for checking and cleaning rather than installing once and forgetting.
• Think about the surrounding habitat when siting a box, since a box next to poor foraging ground will not fix the underlying problem.

Reduce the hazards that undo good habitat work

The Trust has a dedicated hazards and solutions section, which is worth reading alongside any habitat plan because good habitat can be wasted if owls are still being killed.

Common hazards to consider on managed land include:

• Roads and traffic — busy roads near good habitat cause collisions.
• Rodenticides — poisoned rodents pass the toxin up to owls.
• Loss of rough grass — the single biggest driver of prey decline.
• Disturbance or loss of roost and nest sites during building work or conversions.

The Trust frames these as hazards with solutions, so the practical step is to identify which apply to your land and address them at the same time as habitat improvements.

Why this benefits more than Barn Owls

The Trust's own framing is that conserving Barn Owls means safeguarding "their habitat, and the vast array of species they share it with." Rough grassland, field margins, hedgerows and old buildings support a wide range of farmland wildlife, so management aimed at Barn Owls tends to raise overall biodiversity rather than helping a single species.

If you need local help or want to record what you find

The Trust provides a directory of local contacts covering Barn Owl Groups, Owl Rescue Centres and Professional Surveyors, which is useful if you want advice specific to your area or need a survey.

It also asks that all Barn Owl nests, roost sites and sightings — dead or alive, anywhere in the UK — be reported through its confidential survey website. Recording what is on your land is a low-effort step that contributes to the wider picture the Trust uses.

For anyone wanting formal training, the Trust runs professional courses: Barn Owl Ecology, Surveys and Signs (BOESS), a BOESS add-on practical course held in South Devon that includes surveying an active Barn Owl site, and Advanced Barn Owl Surveying and Mitigation (ABOSM) covering surveying, mitigation and report preparation.

A workable order of operations

1. Survey what you have — rough grass, margins, roost sites, and any known owl activity.
2. Protect the rough grass you already have before creating new areas.
3. Extend or reconnect habitat through margins, uncropped strips and light grazing.
4. Check and maintain roost and nest sites, adding boxes where natural sites are absent.
5. Identify and reduce hazards such as rodenticide use and disturbance.
6. Record and report nests, roosts and sightings through the Trust's survey site.

The Trust's site is organised around exactly these areas — habitat, nestboxes, hazards and solutions, and owl care — so each step above has a matching section to work from.

The Barn Owl Trust website (barnowltrust.org.uk) is the practical starting point for nestbox work in the UK: it covers where to put a box, how to build one, maintenance, and buying a ready-made box. Use it as your reference before you site, construct, or install anything, and follow its guidance rather than improvising, because box design and position strongly affect whether Barn Owls use it and whether chicks survive.

Where to place a Barn Owl nestbox

Placement is the part most people get wrong, so decide this before you build or buy.

• Site the box for the owl, not for your view. The Trust's nestbox section covers where to put a box; treat its siting advice as the specification you are working to.
• Think about the surrounding habitat first. A box is only useful if there is suitable hunting habitat nearby. The Trust's habitat pages explain how to manage land for Barn Owls, roosting and nesting places.
• Check the box is safe from hazards. The Trust maintains a dedicated hazards and solutions section covering the different hazards affecting Barn Owls and what can be done — read it before fixing a position.
• If you are unsure, get local input. The Trust's directory lists your nearest Barn Owl Group, Owl Rescue Centre, or Professional Surveyor, who can advise on siting in your area.

How to build a nestbox

The Trust provides build guidance in its nestbox section, including how to build one. Work from that design rather than a generic plan, because Barn Owl box dimensions, entrance size, and internal layout are specific to the species.

A sensible order of work:

1. Read the Trust's nestbox guidance in full before buying materials.
2. Build to the Trust's design, following its instructions on construction.
3. Plan access for inspection and cleaning at the build stage — maintenance is much harder if you don't.
4. Install only once you have confirmed the siting points above.

If you would rather not build, the same section covers buying a pre-made box, which removes the risk of getting the design wrong.

Maintenance requirements

The Trust's nestbox pages include maintenance as a distinct topic. Plan for it rather than treating installation as the end of the job:

• Check the box periodically and keep it in the condition the Trust's maintenance guidance describes.
• Keep records. The Trust asks that all Barn Owl nests, roost sites, and sightings (dead or alive), anywhere in the UK, be reported on its confidential survey website.
• If you find an owl in trouble, don't handle the situation blind — the Trust's owl care section covers identifying the species, checking for injuries or illness, what to do next, and how to get help.

Getting help and further training

If nestbox work is part of a survey or mitigation project, the Trust runs professional courses:

The Trust also offers talks and education for school, youth, and adult groups, and a directory of local contacts for finding your nearest Barn Owl Group, Owl Rescue Centre, or Professional Surveyor.

Quick decision guide

• Want to act now, minimal risk: buy a pre-made box from the Trust's shop and follow its siting and maintenance guidance.
• Want to build: use the Trust's build instructions, then follow its placement and maintenance advice.
• Unsure about your site: check the habitat and hazards sections, then contact your nearest local group or surveyor via the Trust's directory.
• Found an owl: go straight to the owl care guidance and the directory, and report the sighting on the Trust's survey website.

The Barn Owl Trust website (barnowltrust.org.uk) is the online home of a small UK charity dedicated to conserving Barn Owls and their environment. It serves two main audiences: people who want to learn about Barn Owls and their conservation, and people who need practical help — whether they've found an injured owl, want to put up a nestbox, or need to report a sighting. The site combines educational resources, conservation guidance, research information, and a directory of local contacts across the UK.

What the organisation does

The Trust describes itself as "a small UK charity working very hard to conserve one of the most beautiful birds on Earth." Its stated mission covers three areas:

• Conservation initiatives — practical work to safeguard Barn Owls and their habitat
• Educational resources — materials for schools, youth groups, and adults
• Research — ongoing projects studying Barn Owls

The charity also notes that its work extends beyond Barn Owls to "the vast array of species they share it with," framing conservation as an ecosystem-level effort.

Practical help for owl encounters

A significant part of the site is built around real-world situations where people need immediate guidance. Three entry points stand out:

If you've found a young Barn Owl

The site directs you to a Directory of local contacts where you can find your nearest Barn Owl Group, Owl Rescue Centre, or Professional Surveyor.

If you've found an injured owl

There's dedicated guidance covering:

• How to identify the owl species
• How to check the owl for injuries or illness
• What to do with the owl next
• How to get help

If you want to report a sighting

The Trust asks the public to report all Barn Owl nests, roost sites, and sightings (dead or alive), anywhere in the UK through its confidential survey website.

Educational and reference content

The site organises its knowledge base into clear topic areas:

Training courses

For professionals and serious amateurs, the Trust runs three Barn Owl courses:

1. Barn Owl Ecology, Surveys and Signs (BOESS) — a foundation course covering ecology, legislation, surveying, and basic mitigation
2. BOESS Add-on Practical — an in-person course at the Trust in South Devon, including a survey of an active Barn Owl site
3. Advanced Barn Owl Surveying and Mitigation (ABOSM) — an advanced course covering surveying, mitigation, and report preparation

Getting involved and supporting the charity

The site provides several ways to engage:

• Donate — the homepage features a prominent donation call
• Events — such as an Autumn Colours Walk (the site lists one for Wednesday 28th October 2026 at 2.30pm, with booking required)
• Shop — eco items, earth-friendly gifts, publications, and clothing
• Talks and Education — inspirational talks for school/youth groups and adult groups
• Support Us — a hub page listing various ways to help

Who this site is for

The Barn Owl Trust website is most useful if you:

• Have found an injured or young Barn Owl and need to know what to do
• Want to report a Barn Owl sighting, nest, or roost site anywhere in the UK
• Are planning to install or build a nestbox and want guidance on placement and design
• Manage land and want to make it more Barn Owl-friendly
• Are looking for a local owl group, rescue centre, or professional surveyor
• Want to take a recognised training course in Barn Owl ecology or surveying
• Are a teacher or parent looking for educational activities about owls

If you're outside the UK, the practical referral services (rescue centres, local groups, the survey reporting system) won't apply to you, though the general ecology and nestbox information may still be of interest.

The Barn Owl Trust identifies hazards to Barn Owls and publishes solutions alongside its conservation and research work. Its website has a dedicated "Hazards and Solutions" section, which is the most direct place to learn what threatens Barn Owls and what can be done about it. The Trust is a small UK charity focused on conserving Barn Owls and their environment, so its guidance is aimed at practical action in the UK.

Where to Find the Trust's Hazard Guidance

The Trust's site organises the topic under Hazards and Solutions, described as covering "the different hazards that affect Barn Owls and what can be done." This sits alongside related sections that address risk in specific situations:

• Owl Care — what to do if you find an injured wild owl
• Nestboxes — where to site a box, how to build one, and maintenance
• Habitat — how to manage land for Barn Owls, including roosting and nesting places
• Barn Owls — facts, adaptations, UK population, and how to encourage them
• Research — the Trust's research projects

If your question is about a specific hazard, the Hazards and Solutions section is the starting point; if it is about an injured bird, Owl Care is the relevant section.

The Categories of Hazard the Trust Covers

The Trust's own summary groups its work around conserving the Barn Owl and its environment, and its hazard content is framed as "hazards and solutions" rather than a single list. The related sections point to the main risk areas:

The Trust does not present these as isolated problems — the framing is that hazards affect Barn Owls and that each has a corresponding solution.

Practical Solutions the Trust Points To

The Trust's site maps solutions to the same categories:

• Habitat management — managing land for Barn Owls, and providing roosting and nesting places
• Nestboxes — siting, building, maintaining, or buying a pre-made box
• Owl Care — identifying the owl species, checking for injuries or illness, deciding what to do next, and getting help
• Recording sightings — reporting nests, roost sites, and sightings (dead or alive) anywhere in the UK through the Trust's confidential survey website

For anyone managing land, the Habitat and Nestboxes sections are the actionable ones. For anyone who finds a bird, Owl Care is the actionable one.

How the Trust Addresses Hazards Through Conservation and Research

The Trust describes itself as "a small UK charity working very hard to conserve one of the most beautiful birds on Earth," and says it works through educational resources, conservation initiatives, and research. Its research projects are published under Research, and its conservation messaging is that safeguarding owls means safeguarding "their habitat, and the vast array of species they share it with."

It also runs professional training that touches on hazard-related work:

1. Barn Owl Ecology, Surveys and Signs (BOESS) — a foundation course covering ecology, legislation, surveying, and basic mitigation
2. BOESS Add-on Practical — an in-person course at the Trust in South Devon including a survey of an active Barn Owl site
3. Advanced Barn Owl Surveying and Mitigation (ABOSM) — an advanced course covering surveying, mitigation, and report preparation

The word "mitigation" in these course titles is the clearest signal that the Trust treats hazard reduction as a professional skill, not just a public-information topic.

Ways the Public Can Help Mitigate Risks

The Trust lists several routes for public involvement:

• Report sightings — all Barn Owl nests, roost sites, and sightings (dead or alive) anywhere in the UK, via the Trust's confidential survey website
• Find local help — use the Trust's directory to find your nearest Barn Owl Group, Owl Rescue Centre, or Professional Surveyor
• Get involved — the site's "Get involved" and "Support Us" sections list ways to contribute
• Learn and share — educational resources, talks for school/youth and adult groups, and "Kid's Stuff" with crafts, facts, and lesson ideas

Reporting is the lowest-effort action with a direct conservation purpose: the Trust uses records to understand where Barn Owls are and what is happening to them.

A Note on Events and Access

The Trust's homepage advertises an Autumn Colours Walk on Wednesday 28th October 2026 at 2.30pm, with booking through the site, and a shop offering eco items, earth-friendly gifts, publications, and clothing. The homepage includes a "Donate now!" prompt. No pricing for courses, membership, or shop items is stated on the page, so check the relevant section of the site for current details.