A bad year for barn owls, but cute baby owlets show signs of success

This time last year, barn owl numbers were at a critical low. The severe cold at the beginning of 2013 had a massive impact on the birds.

Now the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary says the species could have taken another blow because this year's flooding means the birds' food source, like voles and mice will have been destroyed. But there are some signs of success.

Barn owls were once a common site across the region. Rich grass lands full of food meant they thrived, but their numbers dropped dramatically through the 1950s to 80s because of pesticides and mass farming.

Laws encouraging farmers to grow more hedgerows and the building of nest boxes to give the owls more breeding spaces has helped grow numbers.

In 1995 there were around 4,000 pairs but the recent bad weather means by 2012 there were just 1000.

At the Suffolk Wildlife Trust they have been part of the nest box campaign and despite the recent weather they have had success.

According to the British Trust for ornithology the demographic suggests that at breeding stage barn owls are doing ok, and fledglings per breeding attempts are stable. The problem therefore is outside the nest.

The next few years are critical, it's hoped the chicks bred at Suffolk Wildlife Trust will have better conditions to grow stronger and have a better chance of surviving the next winter, so the barn owl will continue to be a common site in East Anglia.