With reference to previous comments on Barn
Owl breeding success, Malcolm Ogilvie gives below some more
information on the species on Islay.
Malcolm and Mike Peacock monitored Barn Owls on
Islay from 1987 to 2000, covering a fair percentage of the island in that time
and finding 39 sites with at least 1 bird present in the 14 years. In the last
5 years of the study, they annually checked up to 30 sites, which held 16-17
breeding pairs each year. A total of 393 (42 of them adults) were ringed. Interesting
results included movements between sites: a chick from Gortantaoid beyond
Killinallan bred at Stremnishmore on the south-east corner of the Oa at one
year old. Only 3 recoveries off Islay were two in Argyll and one found dead at 210
km away at Gullane east of Edinburgh – a long way for this species. It was
ringed in July and found dead the following March.
Several former sites no longer exist - ruins
that have fallen down or been turned back into houses. But there are more
recently deserted properties and older barns that could
provide new nest sites.
Malcolm notes that the study ended in 2000 when
Mike moved to Oronsay and he was finding that rotten roof joists in the ruins
were no longer supporting his weight!
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