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Owls
All five resident UK owls - tawny, barn, little, short-eared and long-eared - have now been recorded at Knepp.
The abundance of small mammal prey amongst the tall vegetation, and large areas of undisturbed hunting grounds, support a healthy breeding population of barn owls.
Little owls are now feeding and breeding at Knepp thanks to our organic soils, now rich in earthworms and other invertebrates, and the fact that we no longer treat our livestock with avermectins. Animal dung is swiftly colonised by dung beetles – a favourite food of the little owl.
Long-eared owls have been recorded in both the winter and breeding season. A secretive owl, it will no doubt be making the most of the growing-out shaws and our abundance of small birds and mammals.
