Louth Barn Owl Project

02/10/2026

Good morning folks.

Quick note from us here at Louth Barn Owl Project.

We are looking forward to catching up with colleagues from Ireland's Wildlife Rehabilatators Association at the upcoming Kildare Biodiversity Conference on 17th & 18th October at Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge. This event is organised by Kildare Wildlife Rescue and Kildare County Council and is open to everyone.

We would love to meet some of our supporters. So if you are attending, please come over and say hello.

Excitedly,  our good friends and colleagues, Yvonne from Hedgehog Rescue Dublin and Susan from Bat Rehabilitation Ireland, will be speaking at the conference.  An informative, educational and enjoyable weekend to look forward to.

24/08/2026

Howdy folks! Have a look at these 4 owlets go!!

At one of Louth Barn Owl Project's nest boxes, 3 females and 1 male have been busy wing flapping, flying, pouncing and begging for food over the past few weeks. Aren't they just the business!

Did you know that the comical head bopping and swaying movements you can see in that video, are exaggerated in owlets? The reason is that they are still developing their senses and getting to know their environment so they look like wobbly toddlers! Owls eyes are fixed in their sockets and they move their head around, up to about 270°, to help them judge the direction, position and distance of a sound or movement.

The upside down head antics as seen in one video, has to be one of our favourites. It is hard not to laugh watching them!

This Fabulous Foursome are happy and healthy, with the parents still watching out for them close by. We will post a few more videos soon.

Thank you to the amazing landowner who has welcomed them to his yard and has listened to all our advise, allowing this little family to thrive.

WhatsApp: 086 6076420
Email: [email protected]

** Please note that these videos are the property and copyright of Louth Barn Owl Project. Please do not use without written permission. Videos recorded under licenceof NPWS**

09/07/2026

🌙 Love wildlife after dark? 🦇🦉

The volunteers at the Louth Barn Owl Project love nothing more than being out and about at night. While we'd love to promise a sighting of the elusive Barn Owl, nature doesn't always read the script!

If you're looking for an unforgettable evening outdoors, our friends at the Louth Bat Group can guarantee you'll see and hear at least one of Ireland's nine species of bat on their guided walks (weather permitting).

There's something truly magical about experiencing the wildlife that awakens at dusk, so why not join them for a night to remember?

To find out more or book a place, email [email protected]

🦇 Discover the magic of Ireland's bats.
🌙 Experience the wonders of wildlife after dark.

05/07/2026

Exquisite.

Words fail us to describe the effect of being in the presence of these stunning birds.

What a privilege.

17/06/2026

Hello Folks. A positive and uplifting story we have to share today.
In January 2023, Louth Barn Owl Project hung a nest box at a beautiful location. We always say it can take some time for a box to become a home for Barn Owls. And we never give up hope.
Noticing a rodent infestation in the barn, the landowner stood fast and refused to give into the temptation to lay rodenticide. Despite a buzzard nesting close by, and a fox family regularly grabbing their meals there, the rat numbers were starting to out of control. So one evening the landowner went down to the yard to try and get on top of the problem. But as he sat there waiting to see the rats, he noticed there was very few. Wondering what was going on, he noticed a Barn Owl in the eaves of the barn, then saw another fly out of the box.
He contacted us here at LBOP and we did a survey of the site at a respectable distance and under Licence from NPWS. We were absolutely the moon to be able to confirm that the nest box did indeed have a nesting pair and a young family.
With much praise given to the landowner for not laying rodenticide, we advised him to just carry on as normal in the yard ad the owls will be familiar with the normal comings and goings. Sure don't they feel safe enough to nest there!

This news is just so positive on many levels. Natural rodent control at its finest and a new happy, well feed Barn Owl family in Co. Louth.
To top it all off, we had the extra treat of been watched by a long eared owl from the adjacent woodland.

Please PLEASE don't use rodenticide. Secondary poisoning will kill unintended wildlife.
Thank you so much to the landowner for allowing us to hang our nest box and for being a text book custodian for wildlife calling his patch home too.

20/05/2026

20/05/2026

This Barn Owl was admitted into our care on the 29th April after she was found grounded and the finder kindly brought her to us for assessment. Her feathers were covered in slurry, she was very weak and emaciated, weighing only 215g.

Intensive care was needed to stabilise her, after which we took her for treatment with vet Marta at in Navan. We would also like to acknowledge Susan from Thank you both so so much for all your advise, support, guidance and encouragement.

After 11 days of hand feeding, carefully cleaning the slurry off her feathers and trying to build up her body condition, she eventually started to self eat. This little fighter was then ready for the outdoor aviary where flight practice commenced, slow and steady (check out our reels to see her practicing). With the help of a 24hr camera, we could observe her progress remotely and without disturbance. She spent a lot of time pruning her feathers up to her standard.  After 18 days in our care, she was ready for release home, weighing 320g.

Fly free little one. It was such a privilege to help you find your wings again and see you fly away so strong.

Admitted and rehabilitated under Licence from NPWS.

20/03/2026

What an absolute privilege to share a space with such passionate and dedicated wildlife rehabilitators.

There was something truly special in that room — a deep respect for one another, a willingness to support, and a shared commitment that felt both powerful and inspiring. It’s rare to witness such genuine collaboration, where every voice, every idea, and every ounce of experience is valued.

The room was filled with energy, compassion, and hope for the future of Irish Wildlife Rehabilitation.

09/01/2026

Amazing opportunity for our Co Louth followers if anyone is interested/eligible.
Creating more space and habitats for nature is always a positive start in all of our quests to help wildlife.

If you are a funding body, a corporate group, a local authority or an organisation interested in supporting this initiative please contact us at [email protected]

12/10/2025

From Day One of Louth Barn Owl Project, John Carraig from The Barn Owl Project has been so supportive and encouraging to us. We cannot thank him enough for all he has done for our wee group.

The barn owl may be the star of the small screen, but off screen the endangered species is vanishing from our fields and fighting for survival.