Britain's oldest barn owl found nesting at farm and is incredible age (www.express.co.uk)

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A barn owl mum discovered at a Lincolnshire farm has been described as rare and incredible. Not only is the creature the oldest barn owl ever to have been recorded, the female was found successfully breeding a six-week-old chick.

The bird of prey has left experts amazed after she was discovered at Eastfield Farm in Hough. The incredible creature is 18-years-old - and experts are sure she’s the oldest barn owl ever recorded in Britain or Ireland.

The owl was ringed as a chick, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) have confirmed, she had a ring placed around her leg in Nottinghamshire back in 2007, allowing tracking of the bird.

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[-] [email protected] 22 points 12 hours ago

18, and with a 6w/o chick!

[-] [email protected] 17 points 12 hours ago

This article was written with proper excitement! Even the comments section was good.

She's one incredible owl!

[-] [email protected] 10 points 11 hours ago

I hope she was found not just on a farm but in a barn.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 6 hours ago

Wherever she is, she's thriving.

They know how old she is because she was tagged as an owlet.

this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2025

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If you find an injured owl:

Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.

Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.

Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.

If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.

For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.

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