Gallery: Unscreened major roads kill Barn Owls

Main roads without tall hedge screening, are a major preventable cause of mortality in young Barn Owls.

Preventing owl deaths with hedge screening on major roads – photo gallery.
Barn Owl Hazards: Major roads
Barn Owl road deaths – photo gallery.
Chapter 7 of the Barn Owl Conservation Handbook covers road deaths in depth, along with mitigation measures.
Our report ‘Barn Owls and Major Roads, results and recommendations from a 15-year research project‘ provides evidence of the circumstances and importance of Barn Owl deaths on major roads in the UK.

: M6. 30 mile stretch north of Carlisle. 9 Barn Owls. 2 Tawnies. and 1 Short-eared Owl. All in 1 week.

: Drivers-eye view of the A303 where Barn Owls die every year.

: The presence of rough grass encourages Barn Owls to frequent the roadway.

: Where the road is on the same level as the verge Barn Owls are likely to fly across at low level

: Low vegetation does nothing to prevent Barn Owl deaths.

: On this side there is no screen at all and the hedge on the other side is set too far back.

: Barn Owls die even where the verge is elevated.

: Patches of scrub that would encourage them to fly higher are set too far back from the road surface.