The Barn Owl Tyto alba is one of the most widely distributed terrestrial birds occurring on all continents except Antarctica. In Europe, Barn Owls breed in all countries with the exception of Fenno-scandia and Malta (Shawyer, 1998). Throughout their European range, Barn Owls are found in a wide variety of habitats, typically associated with lowland farmland, where they specialise on small mammal species (Shawyer, 1998). Although Barn Owls are listed as Least Concern in Europe, their populations are declining (BirdLife International, 2021). This has also been the case in Ireland, where the Barn Owl is a Red-listed Bird of Conservation Concern in Ireland, due to extensive declines in their breeding population and range (Gilbert et al. 2021).
Summary of Report
The Barn Owl population of County Monaghan and its surrounds appears to be showing early signs of recovery after long term and extensive declines since the late 1960s through to the 2000s. The recorded confirmed breeding range of Barn Owls in County Monaghan has increased by 100% since the population reached its lowest recorded extent around 2010, however the confirmed breeding range of Barn Owls in the county remains less (-43%) than recorded in the 1960s, with numbers still very limited. Barn Owl breeding range expansion in the 10km squares which include Monaghan over the last 13 years has in part been driven by increases in surrounding counties, with numbers in Monaghan still limited as only two nest sites were confirmed in the county through this survey with a third possible nest site also reported, but not confirmed.
The recent increases in Barn Owl breeding range in Monaghan and its surrounds are likely influenced by the range expansion of invasive small mammal species in the northern half of the island of Ireland, with the Greater White-toothed shrew now recorded in Cavan, and Field Voles being recently discovered in Monaghan. Although it was not possible to assess Barn Owl diet in Monaghan during this survey, it is possible that Field Voles are featuring in the diet, with Greater White-toothed Shrews now being an important component of the Barn Owls diet in neighbouring counties to the south.