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Two barn owl pairs were discovered to have bred successfully on farm visits this summer by Ulster Wildlife, each raising five chicks. 

According to the local nature conservation charity, a brood of five chicks is above the average for barn owls, indicating a good breeding year for the iconic farmland species.  Five chicks have already fledged from one site, while the other brood is just a few weeks behind. 

For several years, Ulster Wildlife has worked alongside local landowners to install nest boxes and help create the right conditions for barn owls to thrive. This summer, those efforts paid off, with the nest boxes allowing conservationists to safely monitor the birds and confirm that both pairs had successfully raised chicks. 

Barn owls face a range of pressures locally, including habitat loss, rodenticide use and lack of food prey. Estimates now suggest that there are fewer than 30 breeding pairs remaining in Northern Ireland, making them a red-listed species on the Irish Birds of Conservation Concern and protected under the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985.  

The chicks also became the first known to be ringed in the county under licence from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, with support from the British Trust for Ornithology. Ringing provides invaluable information about their survival, movements and future breeding success, helping to protect Northern Ireland's tiny barn owl population. 

Barn owls remain incredibly scarce in County Fermanagh, with few reported sightings, so this is a real boost for their conservation – and a real cause for celebration

Katy Bell, Senior Conservation Officer with Ulster Wildlife, said: “After such a difficult breeding season last year for barn owls, finding two successful nest sites, each with five healthy chicks, is fantastic news. Barn owls remain incredibly scarce in County Fermanagh, with few reported sightings, so this is a real boost for their conservation – and a real cause for celebration.”

“None of this would have been possible without the support of local farmers and landowners like Mannok Build, who reported the birds to us and are managing their land in ways that support nature. As a result, we are now able to protect these sites and safeguard them from disturbance, ensuring Fermanagh’s barn owls have the best chance of success.” 

Because barn owls are so rare in the west of Northern Ireland, the exact locations of the nest sites are being kept confidential.

Ulster Wildlife is calling on anyone who has spotted a barn owl in Counties Fermanagh,  Tyrone and Derry/Londonderry to report their sighting. Every single observation could help conservationists discover an unknown breeding pair and protect an important nest site.

If you think you've seen or heard a barn owl, we'd love to hear from you. This information could help us locate important breeding areas and protect these iconic birds for the future

Katy added: “We believe there are more barn owls out there than our records currently show, particularly across the west of Northern Ireland. While there are no confirmed nest sites currently known in Counties Tyrone or Derry/Londonderry, regular sightings suggest breeding birds are likely to be present. If you think you've seen or heard a barn owl, we'd love to hear from you. This information could help us locate important breeding areas and protect these iconic birds for the future.”

Barn owls are mostly nocturnal but can be seen hunting at dawn and dusk over fields, hedgerows or roadside verges.

Their heart-shaped face and pale white underparts can be spotted in low light. The barn owl is silent in flight but is often referred to as the "screech owl" due to its distinctive long, rasping screech rather than a "twit-twoo”. Their eerie appearance and call have also earned them a place in local folklore, inspiring the legend of the banshee.

Barn owls don’t make nests. They nest in old buildings, hollow tree trunks, or readily use artificial nest boxes.  Signs of active nest or roosting sites include white droppings or "whitewash" on barns, sheds, trees or fence posts and the presence of dark, oval pellets containing the fur and bones of small mammals. 

Report your sightings or email barnowls@ulsterwildlife.org 

The charity is particularly keen to hear from farmers, landowners and anyone who regularly travels rural roads at dawn or dusk.

All sightings are treated in the strictest confidence to help protect these vulnerable birds.

Report an owl sighting