Zena escaped while one of the volunteers at the Sanctuary left the aviary open by mistake when they were tidying up her aviary.  She flew out and landed on the door, looked back at him as if to say I’m out!  and she flew off.

We had a number of sightings reported to us, with one in particular coming from Low Green where she was reportedly mobbed by seagulls and crows, so she flew to a nearby wooded area.  It is quite common for birds to ‘mob’ another bird they see as a potential danger to themselves or their offspring, specifically predators.  Zena took refuge in the trees surrounding Shruggs Wood fishing lake, off West Paddock Leyland.

We were invited into the garden of the Rectory nearby and found that Zena was visiting the garden regularly.  Mrs Shuttleworth allowed us to go into the garden whenever we liked to try and catch Zena.
They made Barn Owl Bill very welcome with cups of tea, which always makes Bill happy!

The escape did however have an adverse effect on Bill’s health and made him quite ill and upset, so much so that he couldn’t go to the garden to try and find Zena for 3 days.  When he did return he rang the bell on Zena’s glove and after twenty minutes she flew into the tree at the back of the garden.  She was quite hungry.
Bill called Zena two or three times and she flew down and tried to take some food from Bill’s hand, which she didn’t get.  When she landed back in the tree she immediately turned round to face Bill.
She came down for a second go and landed on Bill’s hand and started to tuck in, Bill quickly grabbed hold of her legs and hung her upside down and with the help of Mr & Mrs Shuttleworth managed to get her anklets and jesses on.  Phew!

As soon as we did that Mrs Shuttleworth took some photographs which we will add to the website as soon as we get them.  Thanks to them for all the help they gave us in getting back our precious Zena.
As a little thank-you we are going to pay them a visit with some of our birds for them to meet and have a go at holding.  We really are very grateful so thanks again.

Zena is now back in her aviary and has returned to her normal self.

We certainly don’t need any more escapes that’s for sure!

We had to cancel due to the council changing the date we could use the park  They offered us another date but the people who we had coming along to show the work they do to the public couldn’t make the new date.
We also want to say sorry to the other charities who had set aside a day and not made any other bookings so they could come along and meet the great people in Leyland.

Hopefully we will hold a fund raiser next year with a date fixed & confirmed with the council!

Sage is a male Great Horned Owl who was bought at a young age. He has been abused and as a result is very wary of men and can be very cantankerous. With a lot of love, attention and handling, Sage is becoming much more docile.

About Great Horned Owls

Great Horned Owls are found throughout North America and South America. They have adapted to many different climates and habitats including dense forests, deserts and plains and city parks amongst others.

Although, the Great Horned Owl is powerful enough to hunt quarry two or three times heavier than itself, rabbits and hares are it’s preferred prey. They will also prey on mammals including armadillos, porcupines, skunks and raccoons, all species of native bird (excluding the Snowy Owl), reptiles, amphibians and fish. They have also been known to feed on domestic cats and dogs.

The Great Horned Owl will nest in tree holes, stumps, caves, or more typically in the abandoned nests of other birds. Pairs are generally monogamous and lay clutches of between one and five eggs. Unusually for owls, both the male and female incubate, although the male also hunts for food.

Dumbo is a female Long Eared Owl who was bred in captivity. She came to us after we received a telephone call advising that she was flying loose around a car lot. Although she is ringed, we have been unable to trace her previous owners and she is now legally in the custody of the Trust and will remain with us for the rest of her days.

About Long Eared Owls

The Long Eared Owl is widely distributed across North America, Europe, Asia and Northern Africa. They are also native to Britain and favour open woodlands.

Although the Long Eared Owl nests in woodland, they very rarely hunt in this habitat instead preferring to range over open fields, and clearings. They predominantly hunt at dawn and dusk surprising it’s quarry and pouncing to make a kill. The favoured prey of the Long Eared Owl is mainly small mammals and birds, although they will also take insects, frogs and snakes.

T.C. is a female Turkmenian Eagle Owl and is the biggest of our resident birds. Prior to coming to us, T.C. was going to be sent to a breeder. Many breeders (particularly those who breed for profit) care little for the well-being and health of their birds. Bill could not bear for T.C. to be sent into a life of constant breeding and bought her himself.

About Turkmenian Eagle Owl

The Turkmenian Eagle Owl is found between Volga and Upper Ural, the Caspian Sea and Aral sea, east to Transbaikalia and Tarin basin to western Mongolia. They favour a habitat of mountainous forest, semi-desert and rocky slopes.

The Turkmenian Eagle Owl preys on a wide variety of quarry including large birds, small and medium sized mammals up to the size of a roe deer, frogs, newts and crabs.

Gypsy is a female Western Screech Owl who was found floating in a canal in Nelson. She was rescued by an elderly gentleman who cared for her for a while until he was unable to do so any longer. At this point the gentleman contacted The Barn Owl Bill Charitable Trust and gifted Gypsy to our care. She has quickly become a favourite of all of the volunteers without exception due to her calm, sweet nature and cute appearance.

About Western Screech Owls

The Western Screech Owl is native to Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas south to Baja California. They are also known to live throughout Mexico. Western Screech Owls inhabit a wide range of habitats including open forests of many varieties and along the edge of clearings, rivers and lakes.

The Western Screech Owl usually hunts from a perch in open spaces. They hunt an extremely wide range of prey favouring small rodents, large insects and small birds.

Western Screech Owls almost always nest in tree cavities including woodpecker holes. Unusually, they do not use nesting materials and keep their nests extremely clean. They usually lay clutches of between two and five eggs.

Nero is a male Harris Hawk who was gifted to us by his previous owner. Nero’s owner went through a relationship breakdown and he was unable to care for Nero anymore. Although he has not been with us very long, Nero has settled into his new home well and croons at the volunteers as they pass his aviary.

About Harris Hawks 

The Harris Hawk is native to Central and Southern America though has proved popular in the U.K. as a flying and hunting bird.

The Harris Hawk can live up to twelve years in the wild but have been known to live twice as long when kept in captivity.

In the wild, the Harris Hawk preys on small mammals and hunts as part of a family group (sometimes called a cast) taking turns to flush and chase down their prey. The family unit works so effectively together that any birds who are unable to take part in the hunt are provided for by the rest of the group.

Being highly social, the Harris Hawk is also unusual in the way that they rear their young. Young Harris Hawks have been known to live with the family unit for up to three years, helping to raise subsequent clutches and hunt.

The Harris Hawk is favoured among falconers because of their size, intelligence and temperament and are viewed as an ideal beginners bird as they are easy to train. However, the popularity of this bird with inexperienced hobbyists, means that we at the Trust have seen an increase in call outs to Harris Hawks in recent years.

Pingu is a male American Burrowing Owl who was bought for use on our educational displays after we sadly lost Itchy our American Burrowing Owl who used to be on our display team. He is very cheeky and indulges in naughty behaviour when she wants attention. We also own his sister who he bullies by knocking her over with his wings.

About American Burrowing Owls

The American Burrowing Owl is found across Northern and Southern America. Birds from North America and Canada are migratory. American Burrowing Owls favour open, dry grasslands and desert habitats. They are commonly seen perched on fence posts or on top of mounds outside the burrow. Burrowing Owls are known to nest in colonies. It is thought that these groups may be a response to a local concentration of burrows and food, or possibly an adaptation for mutual defence. Colony members alert each other to the approach of predators and join in driving them off and defending their nests.

American Burrowing Owls feed on a wide variety of prey. Beetles and grasshoppers make up a large portion of their diet but small mammals, reptiles and amphibians, scorpions, bats, and birds are also common quarry for this bird. These Owls also hunt in a variety of ways. They chase down grasshoppers and beetles on the ground, catch large insects on the wing, or hover mid-air before swooping down on their unsuspecting quarry. They also hunt from perches. Unlike other Owls, they also eat fruits and seeds. Burrowing Owls are usually active at dusk and dawn, but will hunt throughout the day and night.

American Burrowing Owls are usually monogamous but occasionally males of the species will have two mates. They generally nest underground in abandoned burrows or if soil conditions allow they will dig their own burrows. Burrowing Owls lay large clutches of between six and twelve eggs.

Cackle is a female American Burrowing Owl who was bought for use on our educational displays after we sadly lost Itchy our American Burrowing Owl who used to be on our display team. She is very cheeky and indulges in naughty behaviour when she wants attention.

About American Burrowing Owls

The American Burrowing Owl is found across Northern and Southern America. Birds from North America and Canada are migratory. American Burrowing Owls favour open, dry grasslands and desert habitats. They are commonly seen perched on fence posts or on top of mounds outside the burrow. Burrowing Owls are known to nest in colonies. It is thought that these groups may be a response to a local concentration of burrows and food, or possibly an adaptation for mutual defence. Colony members alert each other to the approach of predators and join in driving them off and defending their nests.

American Burrowing Owls feed on a wide variety of prey. Beetles and grasshoppers make up a large portion of their diet but small mammals, reptiles and amphibians, scorpions, bats, and birds are also common quarry for this bird. These Owls also hunt in a variety of ways. They chase down grasshoppers and beetles on the ground, catch large insects on the wing, or hover mid-air before swooping down on their unsuspecting quarry. They also hunt from perches. Unlike other Owls, they also eat fruits and seeds. Burrowing Owls are usually active at dusk and dawn, but will hunt throughout the day and night.

American Burrowing Owls are usually monogamous but occasionally males of the species will have two mates. They generally nest underground in abandoned burrows or if soil conditions allow they will dig their own burrows. Burrowing Owls lay large clutches of between six and twelve eggs.

Ruby is a rescued female Sparrowhawk. Unfortunately, she cannot be released back into the wild as her shoulder swells when she flies making it impossible for her to hunt. She is a stunning bird, who although is a little nervous is very sweet.

About Sparrowhawks

The Sparrowhawk is specially adapted to hunt it’s prey in confined spaces and woodland and preys mostly on other birds. Like most Hawks the  Sparrowhawk is capable of great bursts of speed in flight while still maintaining great manoeuvrability. As such, most prey is taken in flight although the Sparrowhawk will also surprise quarry on the ground or about to take off.

 Once it has caught it’s quarry it will either ‘cloak’ (drop it’s wings on either side of it’s catch) it and devour it on the ground where caught or carry it off to a’ plucking perch’ (a favourite branch or stump) where it will pluck and eat it.

Sparrowhawks will stay together after courtship and mating, with the male hunting for the chicks and new mother. He does not, however, feed the chicks himself. Once he has caught his prey, he will approach the nesting site and call to the female who will briefly leave the nest to collect the food and then feed the chicks herself.

As the Sparrowhawk hunts with speed and surprise, they frequently crash into windows when pursuing their prey, which often proves fatal. In addition, Sparrowhawks are also affected by pesticide poisoning. The species was affected greatly  in the 1960′s by pesticides and were almost wiped out in Eastern England during this time.