AssetID: 54529145
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Lovebirds! Beloved Owl Couple Return To Somerset Nesting Box For Third Year
Caption: Somerset conservationists are delighted after a much-loved owl couple returned to nest in a special box created for them for a third consecutive year. The owls, named Finn and Trude, are being closely monitored by the Somerset Wildlife Trust in the Blackdown Hills. Wildlife enthusiasts can follow their progress via a live webcam set up by the trust, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of these elusive birds. The webcam allows the trust to keep an eye on the owl's behaviour and when the loved up couple;s chicks fledge, they can be ringed to collect data. Barn owls have become an increasingly rare sight in the U.K. despite the fact they were once a familiar sight in the British countryside. As its name suggests, it was frequently found in and near farm buildings, where the birds were loved by farmers because they helped with pest control. A pair of Barn Owls and their young may eat about 1,000 rodents between them during the three month breeding season. Unfortunately, as 20th Century farming methods led to the destruction of hedgerows, meadowland and field headlands and as old farm buildings were either demolished or converted to other uses, the Barn Owl population has crashed to a dangerously low level.
Keywords: video,photo,owls,barn owls,feature,birds,animals,wildlife
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