100 Barn Owls Under the Stars: A Milestone in Nocturnal Birding

Two years ago, I took a job that placed me on the road during the quietest hours of the day – through sleeping towns, rural lanes, and long stretches of darkness. What began as a courier route quietly evolved into something more: a unique window into the hidden world of nocturnal birdlife.

This week, I submitted my 99th checklist featuring Western Barn Owl (Tyto alba). That number might seem small in the world of bird data, but for a nocturnal species, it tells a deeper story – one of persistence, focus, and most importantly, possibility.

Turning Night Shifts into Wildlife Surveys

Driving at night may be part of my job, but it’s also how I contribute to the PatchBird Project. I use those starry hours to listen, to look, and to document. Every time a Barn Owl ghosted across the verge, perched silently on a fence post, or called into the darkness, I recorded it. Each one of those observations was allocated to a UTM grid, turning not just into lists – but a growing, spatially consistent dataset.

Why It Matters

Nocturnal surveys are often underrepresented in bird monitoring projects, despite the fact that species like the Western Barn Owl are powerful indicators of landscape health. By logging these sightings – even as brief, incidental records—we fill in gaps that daytime surveys simply can’t reach.

And this milestone proves that anyone can contribute, even without dedicated field time. You don’t need rare optics or days off. You just need to pay attention.

Owl and Asphalt: Why Roads Attract Barn Owls

You might wonder: why do so many Barn Owls appear near roads, even fast ones?

The answer lies in their hunting strategy. Barn Owls rely heavily on open ground for hunting – mainly grasslands, field margins, and rough verges. Unfortunately, roads mimic these open spaces. Verges, embankments, and mowed edges often support populations of voles and small mammals. Add to that wide, unobstructed lines of sight and warm thermals from asphalt, and roads become prime foraging territory.

But it’s a dangerous trade-off. Thousands of Barn Owls are killed annually on roads, particularly where verges are lush and traffic is fast. Your observations help highlight where these collisions are most likely – and where conservation measures might make a difference.

The 100th Owl

And then, just as I was reflecting on checklist number 99, it happened.

A pale, still shape – perched on a roadside fence near Brechin, Scotland. My 100th Barn Owl. A ghost in the beam of the headlights. No sound. No flight. Just presence.

It felt like a quiet moment of recognition. A milestone witnessed only by the owl and the open road.

Reflections from the Road

This journey taught me that routine doesn’t mean repetition. With enough attention, even the most ordinary paths reveal something extraordinary.

• Structure brings purpose: Every owl is recorded the same way, in space and time.

• Even brief moments matter: Most sightings are just seconds long – but they add up.

• Maps don’t lie: I recently plotted all 100 observations on a map. The pattern was unmistakable – Barn Owls are widespread, but underreported. And this project is helping to fill those gaps.

Looking Ahead

With 100 Barn Owl records behind me, I’m already thinking about the next 100 – and the other nocturnal voices I might detect along the way. Tawny Owls, Long-eared Owls, Nightjars, or perhaps something rare and unexpected.

If you’re out at night – working, travelling, or just unable to sleep – maybe take a moment to notice what shares the darkness with you. And if a ghostly white wing crosses your headlights, now you know: it counts. And it belongs.