Press Release
BARN OWLS AND OWLETS STAR ON WEBCAM
28 July 2006
- Please note that the web cam is no longer available for 2006.
Following on from the success of the kestrel webcam earlier in the summer, The Crown Estate’s rural estate can now announce the arrival of our ‘owl cam’.
Since 1991 The Crown Estate, in association with The Wildlife and Conservation Partnership, has been responsible for a stewardship project in Norfolk providing nesting sites for birds of prey. The population of barn owls in Britain has declined due to a number of factors, including a reduction in derelict buildings and the use of persistent pesticides which, consumed by prey, accumulate in the bird of prey, leading to weak egg shells.
In an exciting new development this year, webcams were discreetly installed in nesting boxes occupied by a pairs of kestrels and barn owls. Barn owls tend to mate for life, and this pair produced six eggs, about a month later than would be expected, of which five hatched. The rate of mortality among the offspring can be quite high and sadly, two of these owlets have subsequently died, but three are still doing well.
Life inside the owls’ nesting box can now be viewed on both The Crown Estate website, and that of our managing agents, Carter Jonas.
The boxes were originally designed to attract barn owls into an area with a rich food supply but containing very few natural nesting sites, although they have also attracted other birds. Located on Crown Estate farmland in Norfolk, the nesting boxes have proved successful breeding sites, producing about 140 barn owls and 60 kestrels over the last 15 years.
Alan Laidlaw, Head of Customer Management for The Crown Estate’s rural estate, explained that the nesting boxes were introduced to help sustain and enhance this important habitat for birds of prey. He said: “This is a project we wholeheartedly support. The webcam offers an honest view of life inside an owl nesting box and will provide a record of the owlets' progress.
“As a small example, it demonstrates The Crown Estate’s strong commitment to the conservation and stewardship of our natural environment.”
The project has been managed on The Wash by The Crown Estate’s managing agents Carter Jonas. Tim Jones, Head of the Rural Department with Carter Jonas added: “This is a very exciting project for anyone who is interested in birds of prey. Ornithologists are concerned about the numbers of barn owls and kestrels nationally, and this project is providing a wealth of information and helping to increase the numbers of these important and beautiful birds of prey.”
The feed from the webcam is presented as a screen grab that automatically updates every minute. Please note that there will be no view within the nesting box during the hours of darkness.
Please follow the link for more information about rural stewardship programmes.
For more information about barn owls, please visit the following websites:
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