Adopt a nesting box

The charity puts up nest boxes to compensate for the loss of natural nesting sites and estimates as many as 60 per cent of Barn Owl pairs now use them to breed.

Trust spokesman Colin Shawyer said: “This year was one of the worst breeding years for half a century. It seems that a shortage of food in the driest spring for decades meant that many adult barn owls could not put on enough weight to lay eggs or produce young.” The process involves adopters paying £12.50 a year and they then receive details to say what kinds of birds have roosted or nested in their box, how many eggs were laid and how many young reared.

Anyone needing further information should write for an adoption form to The Hawk and Owl Trust, 11 St Mary’s Close, Abbotskerswell, Newton, TQ12 5QF.