OWL FACT SHEET

There are five species of owl which may be seen naturally in Britain: The
tawny owl (strix aluco), barn owl (tyto alba), little owl (athene noctua),
short-eared owl (asop flammeus), and the long eared owl (asio otus). Small
numbers of snowy owls (nyctea scaniaca) are present in the Shetlands but
this species is unlikely to inhabit any other area of the British Isles.
Strictly carnivorous and rarely drinking, the five British species exist
by hunting, on silent wings, small mammals, birds and, (particularly the
little owl) insects. They have large forward-facing eyes, but mainly use
their obliquely-placed ears to locate their prey, which is swallowed
whole. The long and short "ears" of the Asio species are simply feather
tufts.

YOUNG OWLS

We are constantly being brought young owls that are supposedly orphaned.
Being of an adventurous nature, they often come out of their nests only to
find that they cannot climb back up. Watch from a discreet distance to see
if the parents return, before deciding a bird is orphaned. If at all
possible, return the youngster to the nest, but always beware of the adult
birds as they can inflict serious injury.  If you do find a real orphan it
will need to be hand reared, this is a very specialised job, so you should
take it to your nearest wildlife rescue centre.

Never be tempted to take an owl home and tame it. This is cruel and also
illegal. They are quite unsuitable as pets as they can be dangerous.

HANDLING AN INJURED OWL

The talons and beak of any owl can cause formidable injuries, so when
handling any of the species it is imperative that strong leather gloves
are worn. Grip the owl around its shoulders and do not allow it to flap
its wings. Place it in a strong cardboard box with an old towel inside,
close the box securely and seek expert advice.

DIET

Owls need complete animal food, including the bone and fur, which are
regurgitated as pellets. Never give an owl birdseed, bread, milk or any
alcohol and, unless you are very experienced in their care, do not even
offer them water.

TREATMENT

All casualties should be taken immediately to your nearest wildlife rescue
centre.

OWLS AND THE LAW

All owls are fully protected - that is to say, it is illegal to remove or
damage its nest or eggs or to kill, injure or take one from the wild. Only
if the bird is found disabled may it be picked up.

NEST BOXES

It is possible to put up a tawny owl nest box in a large tree in the hope
of attracting a wild pair. Similarly, a barn owl box in an old barn may
attract these 'white' owls, but they are rare these days.