New Holland, 2011; hbk, 128pp, 78 colour photographs; ISBN 978-1-84773-768-7; Subbuteo code M20833; £12.99
This book provides an introduction to one of Britain’s best-loved birds. An encounter with a Barn Owl Tyto alba hunting at dusk or glimpsed on a night-time car journey is, however frequent, always memorable and special.
Within the pages of this relatively slim volume lies a wealth of fascinating information. Chapters cover the taxonomy of the Barn Owl group, an introduction to the Western Barn Owl, habitat and movements, food, breeding biology and survival and conservation. The book is amply illustrated with many classic portraits of the species in flight, at rest, preening, mating, feeding young and sparring with a Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus.
The writing is both concise and detailed but not too ‘heavy’ or academic and the book should therefore appeal to a broad readership. It draws heavily on the author’s own experiences but also the extensive literature for this species and the assistance of other experts, notably Colin Shawyer (author of The Barn Owl, Arlequin Press, 1998), whose contributions are acknowledged throughout.
The book deserves particular praise for avoiding any hint of Anglocentrism. The numerous references to Barn Owl studies across Europe and particularly in North America give the book a commendably international feel and also draw out interesting differences between populations in size, plumage, food preferences and movements. There are, for example, a number of good photographs of Dutch Dark-breasted Barn Owls.
Everyone will learn something from this book. Accustomed to thinking of Barn Owls as relatively sedentary, I was fascinated to read of the distances travelled by European birds in their vole crash-induced wanderjahre, some from northern Europe reaching as far as Spain. Some interesting human-assisted ringing recoveries are also cited, notably that of a bird ringed near a Royal Air Force base in southern England and recovered (somehow) in Afghanistan!
Though carefully worded, the author’s opposition to the release of captive-bred Barn Owls is clear. Evidence is presented from both Europe and North America that these birds merely disappear and do nothing to sustain the native, wild population, while captive-bred birds may release non-native genes or even diseases.
In summary, this is an excellent introduction to the Barn Owl. With large, clear, readable text and an abundance of photographs, it is a highly accessible book that represents good value for money.
Andy Stoddart
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