Texel island’s barn owls, what do they eat?

This video from England is called Barn Owls Hunting.

This month, there was research at Ecomare museum on Texel island in the Netherlands about pellets of local barn owls.

In 2013 and 2014, owls of De Grie had eaten, according to the pellets: 63 greater white-toothed shrews, three field voles, five root voles, one bank vole, one wood mouse and last but not least one water shrew. Water shrews used to be the only shrew species on Texel (the only Dutch Wadden Sea island where this species lives), but are unfortunately getting rarer now.

There was also research about owls nesting near the Mokweg. The results there were: 176 greater white-toothed shrews, 61 root voles, 3 wood mice, 10 field voles, 1 brown rat and 2 water shrews.

Mice of Texel: here.

Benches on Texel: here.

From the USA: Though widespread, the striped owl is not well understood but it is a distinctive and beautiful owl. As more studies focus on this bird, additional details about its behavior and needs can be discovered, mysteries resolved and steps taken to ensure it is always abundant for birders to see: here.

Owls are beautiful and mysterious raptors that are favorites for birders and non-birders alike. Unfortunately, they also face many threats and almost one-quarter of the world’s owl species are considered officially endangered, threatened or vulnerable to severe population declines. On the plus side, there are many easy things birders can do to help owls and encourage their conservation: here.

Owls are amazing but often misunderstood birds, and there are many irrational superstitions about them. Learning these legends and myths can help birders better understand owls and appreciate their diversity and impact on society.