Ten barn owl chicks mark rare breeding success in County Fermanagh

Ten barn owl chicks have been recorded at two farm sites in County Fermanagh, a notable result for a bird with fewer than 30 breeding pairs estimated to remain in Northern Ireland. Each pair raised five healthy chicks, an above-average brood size, according to Ulster Wildlife. Five have already fledged, while the second brood is a few weeks behind.

The chicks are thought to be the first recorded in the county in about 50 years. They are also the first known to have been ringed there under environmental licence, allowing conservationists to gather evidence about where they travel, how long they survive and whether they breed.

The outcome follows more than a decade of work with landowners to install weather-protected nest boxes and improve hunting habitat. Barn owls need cavities in mature trees or barns near rough grassland, long grass and substantial hedgerows where small rodents live. Those features have declined, while rodenticides and road traffic add further pressure.

The two locations are being kept secret to prevent disturbance. Conservationists are now asking people to report sightings, especially in western Northern Ireland, where records remain sparse and regular sightings suggest more breeding birds may be present. Each report could help identify and protect another nesting area.