'Tis the season... for barn owl nest box maintenance

Barn owls can be killed if they eat poisoned rats or mice — these birds are themselves one of the best means of natural rodent control

A study by Birdwatch for Cork County Council shows that the barn owl population of the county at its greatest recorded level in 50 years. Picture: Larry Cummins

December is an important month for the promising barn owl conservation project which is proof, yet again, that nature can thrive with some human help.

A study by Birdwatch for Cork County Council shows that the barn owl population of the county at its greatest recorded level in 50 years, with the breeding range increasing by 480% since the population reached its lowest level in the 1980s.