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We recommend replicating wild prey as much as possible, and lamb can be quite fatty as opposed to small mammals, which are very lean. More here: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/picking-up-a-live-owl/feeding-barn-owls/

Hi - we try to reply most week days. You could try leaving it a few hours (up to 8 hours) - and then try again. If at all possible, please get local expert help, such as vet experienced with birds. There's more information & our contact details on our website: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/picking-up-a-live-owl/short-term-care-wild-barn-owl/ Thanks for caring and good luck.

Thanks for your question. It's highly unlikely that a wind farm would affect Barn Owls. The only confirmed case of a Barn Owl being killed by a wind turbine in the UK was a small domestic turbine, not a tall commercial one. Busy roads are much more dangerous, and we would advise against a nest box near one - but we've not seen any plausible evidence that wind turbines are a danger to Barn Owls in the UK. Please see our website for more info: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/hazards-solutions/barn-owls-wind-turbines/

Thanks - I've not heard of any problems with cats - but I'll check with the Conservation Team and let you know.

Our Conservation Officer says: 'In general we don’t really hear of cases of owlet predation by cats (in the UK) so thankfully it doesn’t seem to be a huge issue. However, we'd advise erecting/positioning the box in a place that is free from predators (cats included) and so hence the importance of having a minimum 3m drop from the nestbox to the ground. If cats are frequently in the vicinity then try to ensure there is nothing the cat could use to climb up to the nestbox i.e. beams, ladders, hay bales, stacked objects etc. underneath the box. Obviously fallen owlets will be vulnerable on the ground, so keep a close eye if possible!'

Thank you for your kind words! Your land sounds ideal - good luck!

Sounds like a great project!

Thanks for sharing your experience in the American west, Anna.

It's not easy to take care of baby birds - thanks for trying! Our advice should be ok for most baby owls for a few days, but if you can get local expert advice for the type of owlet you've found in Thailand, it'll have a much better chance of survival. Blessings to you too - and the owls!

Hi - thanks for caring. The advice in the video about giving the bird some water with a little bit of sugar or glucose should be ok for a day or two, but please get local expert help as soon as possible. Search for a bird vet, or a wildlife rescue centre in your country. Just water is better than nothing - but if the bird is very thin it will need food - we can't advise you as we don't know much about Potoos, or what they eat - meat may not be suitable. (Our information is for owls in Europe.) Sorry to not be able to help you more - good luck.

That's great to hear - well done you! Fingers crossed that a pair of Barn Owls find your new home soon!

Glad the video helped - there's more info on our website: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/picking-up-a-live-owl/

It's always a good idea to put a nestbox up where there may be owls around. We offer lots of info and free DIY plans for nestboxes for Barn Owls, Tawny and Little Owls, or you can buy them ready-made. Firstly, check what type of owls you've seen and heard here: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-facts/uk-owl-species/ Then check that you have a suitable place to put a box up - there's lots of advice on our website, but if you have any questions that are not answered there, please do email us. Good luck!

Hi - we do try to check all comments every weekday, and answer any queries - sorry we don't have the staff to check at weekends though! You will need to start feeding asap - there's lots of info on our website, but if you have any questions not answered there, please do email us, and we'll do what we can to help. We're based in the UK, so our advice is for UK Barn Owls but hopefully should still be useful., if you're elsewhere. This is probably a good place to start: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/picking-up-a-live-owl/short-term-care-wild-barn-owl/ Good luck!

@@BarnOwlTrust1 Thank you for replying. I actually used your knowledge in the vids with feeding, handling and examination. It was highly useful. An a experience I would love to do again. Saddly the owlette passed away early yesterday morning. I'm thinking maybe he was sick but due to limited knowledge I would of never known. Im just conflicted on did I do everything right in making his last days happy or did I prolong his suffering by interferring trying to help. Anyways thank you greatly. We didnt have any vets or shelters out here suited for owls. So I was on my own an glad my old brain still learns fast. To process your videos.

It's always very sad when a rescued owl dies - but our view is that it's better to have tried to help, even so. As you say, we can't always be sure what else might be wrong, that cannot be seen, so it sounds like you did everything you could, and for that you can feel that you did the right thing. Glad you found the videos useful. Thanks for sharing.

@@BarnOwlTrust1 thank you again. Without you he would of passed and not had the extra time. For someone who knew nothing to be able to understand the content. You my friends are the Steve Orwin's of owls ♡♡

Thank you - very kind!

You're right to be concerned - but there are ways you can help. Please see our guidelines for feeding wild Barn Owls during periods of food shortage, here: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/picking-up-a-live-owl/feeding-barn-owls/#Strategies Please note that our advice is for Barn Owls in the UK, and food sources may differ in other parts of the world. Good luck!

So glad our design is working for you - You're very welcome! Sounds like a great project - thanks for the work you do helping Barn Owls!

Yes - 25 x 50mm batten is 1x2 inches. :)

Thanks for sharing your experience in Oregon, Joe. We also find that deep nestboxes are essential for the safety of young fledglings and recommend the depth from bottom of entrance hole to nest should be not less than 450mm. Here in the UK, it's unusual for Barn Owls to be predated, so porches are not usually a problem. For any Barn Owl nestbox less than 700mm deep, we recommend an exercise/landing platform below the entrance hole. Nearby perches are a good idea, but if this is not possible, make sure that nestboxes are at least 540mm deep so the young cannot possibly emerge until they are capable of flying upwards. More info here about the differences between UK and American Barn Owls: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-facts/american-barn-owls/

Glad that our video has been helpful. Please take a look at our website for more information about feeding Barn Owls: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/picking-up-a-live-owl/feeding-barn-owls/ Wild Owls should always be released near to where they were found as soon as they're able to survive in the wild: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-release-methods/ And about captive bred owls: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/captive-barn-owls/

Hi - thanks for caring, we're so glad that the video helped. A vet who's experienced with birds might be able to help with the broken wings, but it's impossible to say for sure. You could try phoning them and asking - a vet who cares about wildlife may be able to offer more specific advice, but the owl probably will need expert help if it's ever going to fly again. Good luck - if you have any questions not answered on our website, please contact us here: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/about-the-barn-owl-trust/contact-us/

Thank you@@BarnOwlTrust1

Glad to help. Good luck!

That's great news! Please can you clarify - do you mean for painting, or do you mean as a base layer inside the nestbox? Nothing is needed to line the nest - barn owls just use old pellets, which are soft and absorbent. Painting is also not necessary if you're using the waterproofing that we recommend. If you have further questions which are not answered on our website, please contact us here: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/about-the-barn-owl-trust/contact-us/

Glad we could help! Thank you for taking care of the owl - hope all goes well. :)

Thank you very much!

Thank you! Take a look at our website for lots more info and instructions for building outdoor nestboxes: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-nestbox/ Outdoor owl boxes should be built using timber which has been either pressure treated or surface treated (including all edges) with long-lasting preservative. Plywood must be manufactured using a waterproof adhesive. Please avoid using hardwood ply, unless it is stamped “FSC Approved”. Good luck!

Hi - please check our website (link below) for details of how to care for a rescued owlet - scroll down for feeding advice. If possible, please get an experienced vet to check it over. If you're in the UK, you can find more advice and contact details for local wildlife vets on our website. Thanks for caring - and best of luck! www.barnowltrust.org.uk/picking-up-a-live-owl/find-young-barn-owl/

Thanks for your comment. It's important that a Barn Owl nestbox lasts for as long as possible, as it may be in constant use for many years. We recommend that any timber liable to decay within 20 years should be treated with long-lasting preservative: either pressure treated (tanalised) or surface treated (including all edges of all component parts) before assembly. As long as the product instructions are followed and all parts are dry before assembly, this does not cause any problems for the owls. More info here: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-nestbox/owl-boxes-for-trees/

David is feeding the owl small pieces of day old chick, which are very soft and include feathers - roughly the size of a thumbnail. As you can see in the film, the owl easily swallows them. The advice we offer is based on more than 30 years experience. More here: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/picking-up-a-live-owl/short-term-care-wild-barn-owl/

@@BarnOwlTrust1 Thanks, I feel better knowing that. I knew David wouldn't hurt the owl but it looked so large ! Love the Owl Boxes too!

Thanks for caring. If it's a young Barn Owl and if there is a nest with parents around, it's really important to put the owlet back in the nest if at all possible. Then the parents will take care of it. If that won't work, beef or chicken is ok for a couple of days, but if it's any longer, please read the info here: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/picking-up-a-live-owl/short-term-care-wild-barn-owl/ Good luck!

@@BarnOwlTrust1 The owlet could fly quite well, so I let him out last night (he hid in the barn opposite the house) and a couple of hours later the parents were on the roof making a lot of noise, so hopefully they found each other.

That's great news! Hope he'll be ok now. :)

We're based in the UK, where martens are extremely rare - certainly not a problem for owls. Generally, owls are much more at risk from man-made hazards than from natural predators. www.barnowltrust.org.uk/hazards-solutions/rodenticides/

@@BarnOwlTrust1 Thanks for your response. Yes I was interested to know if the problem was present in England as well. In Denmark there are stone martens everywhere , including in urban areas and they have been there for decades. They are a big problem for many home owners, and they can be extremely hard to get rid of, as I know from my own experience. In Holland it seems the stone marten population has spread explosively in recent years; they are now found in many areas where they didn't use to be. I bet the poison problems in these countries are similar to Englands, but the stone marten is an extra problem for some species.

So glad that we could help! Here's hoping for a complete recovery, and that the owl will be able to return to the wild. :)

Sort of - owl's eyes are fixed and don't rotate - that's why owls have to turn their whole head to look around. More here: www.owlpages.com/owls/articles.php?a=5

Barn Owls are interested in openings and holes rather than buildings or boxes. Make sure that the access is clearly visible to a passing owl to encourage it to explore potential nesting and roosting spaces. More info here: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/sitemap/galleries/openings-holes-attractive-barn-owls/

It's so great to hear that you've put up a tree nestbox! And we're very glad that you found our info useful. Here's hoping that the owls appreciate all your hard work as much as we do!

It's a great idea to make a nestbox with the hope of providing a home for wild Barn Owls. However, hand raised Barn Owls are unlikely to survive in the wild, and in the UK it is illegal to release captive-bred Barn Owls into the wild (see link below for more info). www.barnowltrust.org.uk/captive-barn-owls/ Releasing a rescued injured wild Barn Owl, which has recovered enough to be able to hunt, needs careful consideration, and methods vary, depending on the circumstances. Just putting it in an unfamiliar nestbox will reduce its chances of survival. (see link below for more info) www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-release-methods/ Hope that helps.