Barn Owl's Endangered

One of the many endangered species in New Jersey is the common barn owl. The common Barn Owl is found in basically all habitats but mostly found in low elevation in open habitats, such as grasslands, marshes, fields, open woodlands, small shrubs or low bushes and patches of cotton grass. They usually nest by day in hollow tress, cavities in cliffs and riverbanks, caves, church steeples, barn lofts and hay stacks or thick foliage. One reason for the endangerment of the Barn Owl is that rural habitats (where the barn owls home is) are being destroyed. Urban population buys out the land where Barn Owls live. Barn Owls limit rodent pest populations which benefit farmers and others. The Barn Owls population is decreasing because the use of rodent poison has resulted in a smaller food base for the owls. Natural nest sites in hollow trees are limited because of human disturbance of the nest during incubation may cause the nest to be abandoned by the mothers. Also young barns owls are eaten by raccoons. Other factors for the endangerment of the Barn Owl are bad weather, electrocution by power lines and accidental entanglement in farm and industrial machinery. Some scientists capture the owl that lost his nest and take care of it. The scientists also have artificial habitats until the barn owls die. The barn owl has been on the endangered list since the 1950’s and since then the population has gradually lowered.