Owls are thriving in Western Australia

By Brianna Melville

ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt

Topic: Agricultural Pest Control

Thursday, 6 August 2026, at 8:03 am

Baby barn owls are being fed by their parent in a grain silo near Geraldton.

In short:

Many barn owls are breeding and having babies in Western Australia's Midwest and Wheatbelt.

Experts think the owls are doing well because of a recent mouse plague and less use of a poison that kills owls.

What's next?

The owls will face more competition for food and a place to live as the mouse population decreases.

People have seen more barn owls in Western Australia's Midwest and Wheatbelt.

Experts believe the mouse plague has helped the owl population grow.

Barn owl boom

A farmer found seven baby barn owls in a grain silo on her property.

A farmer found baby barn owls in a silo in July.

The baby owls were fed by their parent for a few weeks before they flew away.

The farmer learned that having seven baby owls is very rare unless there is a lot of food.

The owls came when there were many mice on the property.

The farmer used to catch 150 mice a day, but now she only catches 10.

The owls helped reduce the mouse population.

The mother owl feeds each baby five mice a night for 10 weeks.

It's nice to have owls because they are rare and beautiful.

A wildlife group found many barn owls breeding in artificial nests near Moora.

The group found four nests with three to five eggs or babies, which means there is a lot of food.

Barn owls were found breeding in artificial nests near Moora.

There is a lot of food, so the owls are doing well.

The owls are finding homes near the food source.

The nesting boxes were meant for another bird, but the owls are welcome.

The owls will finish breeding before another bird starts using the nests.

Barn owl eggs were found in artificial nests.

Barn owls are found on every continent except Antarctica.

Their population grows and shrinks depending on the food available.

The government does not track barn owl numbers, but many people have seen more owls.

Wildlife groups think the mouse plague and less use of a poison have helped the owls.

A town in Western Australia is dealing with a big mouse problem.

When there is a lot of food, birds of prey have more babies.

The use of a poison that kills owls is decreasing.

A barn owl made its home in Walkaway, Geraldton.

Many people have switched to safer mouse baits and traps.

Not many baby owls were born in 2024, but now there are many.

The barn owl population will face strong competition for food and homes.

A wildlife carer expects to see many starving and lost baby owls.

The carer has three barn owls and expects more to come.

The mouse population is decreasing, and the owls will struggle.

After a mouse plague, many birds are taken to wildlife carers.

If you see a barn owl in the wrong place, do not touch it and call a wildlife carer.

You can help owls by building a nest box.

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