How to welcome the Western Barn Owl in London, England, United Kingdom
Tyto alba · Tytonidae
Seen in London, England, United Kingdom
← See the full Western Barn Owl guide
London is located in United Kingdom. Approximate coordinates: 51.507, -0.128.
About the Western Barn Owl
The western barn owl is a species of barn owl native to Europe, southwestern Asia, and Africa. It was formerly considered a subspecies group together with barn owls native to other parts of the world, but this classification was found to be paraphyletic with respect to some other members of the genus.
Source: Wikipedia
Ecological traits of the Western Barn Owl
- Nesting : owl — owl box.
- Species that does not visit feeders (specialised diet).
Matching nest box plan
For the Western Barn Owl, the reference plan from nichoirs.net is:
Species-specific plan without standardised dimensions (see detailed plan).
Installing and maintaining the nest box — Western Barn Owl
Installation
- Height : Not documented in the selected sources.
- Orientation : Not documented in the selected sources.
- Support : Building (bell tower, barn, attic) or post. Securely attached at a good height, at first-floor level.
- When to install : Not documented in the selected sources.
- Precautions : Install in the upper part of a building, in the most discreet and darkest place possible. The opening can coincide with a building opening to avoid soiling. A wooden platform will be useful for young birds when they fledge if the nest box opens directly to the outside. Tyto alba is sensitive to disturbances, limit visits to nightfall, act discreetly. The internal partition of the nest box is intended to maintain semi-darkness in the nesting chamber. The bottom must be lined with a layer of sawdust or wood chips 3 to 4 cm deep, strewn with some regurgitation pellets. The length of the access corridor to the nesting chamber reinforces the birds' sense of security.
Annual cleaning
- Frequency : 1x/year
- Method : Remove the old nest. Use boiling water to kill any remaining parasites and let dry. Place a small handful of clean hay or wood shavings (not straw) once dry.
- Products to avoid : Do not use insecticides or flea products.
- When to install : Autumn, ideally from September. Make sure the nest is no longer active. If forgotten before February, wait until the end of the next nesting season. Unhatched eggs can only be removed from September to January (Scotland: August to January).
- Precautions : Wear gloves when cleaning. Young birds can die, it is normal to find unhatched eggs or deceased young.
Sources: LPO, Natagora, Vogelbescherming, RSPB, NABU, nichoirs.net.
Three ways to help
- Install a nest box — Free species-tailored construction plans and video tutorials.
- Install a feeder — Choose the feeder and seeds based on the bird's feeding habits.
- Grow a natural pantry — Native local plants that sustainably feed this bird and biodiversity.
Other birds observed in London
- Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
- Eurasian Scops-Owl (Otus scops)
- Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
- Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
- Eurasian Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium passerinum)
- Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)
Sources and credits
- Observation data: eBird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, ebird.org)
- Source: Wikipedia
- Plans and dimensions: nichoirs.net