Rat Poison

• Some Rat Poisons are more dangerous to Barn Owls than others
• Barn Owls can get secondary poisoning from rats and mice because the Rats or mice will have traces of the poison in them
• In 2022 Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS) 88 carcases of dead Barn Owls were tested for difenacoum, bromadiolone, brodiacoum, flocoumafen and difethialone and the results were shocking.
•  This table below shows the results of different rat and mouse poisons. 

• 94% of barn owls tested at one point had SGARs in their systems
• If you want to find out about this in more detail click HERE

However does this actually cause problems for Barn Owls 

• There has not benn that much detailed research on the affects of these rat poisons. However BBC springwatch noticed differences and the barn Owls that did contain these seemed more energetic.
• There is no evidence that rodenticide does kill Barn Owls but there is no evidence that it is not killing them

Safe Rat Control

• If you eliminate the resources for the rodents such as reducing food and harbourage 
• You should only use poisons as a last resort if there is a significant rodent problem and is a threat to human health

Steps to take to reduce rodents 

1. Get rid of access to resources. This includes food, water and shelter. Get rid of where the rats and mice can shelter. For example keep things of the floor and make sure they can't get into buildings by blocking entry points
2. You can encourage natural predators by erecting nestboxes for Barn owls and Tawny Owls. Also be tolerant to other animals as they can eat rodents.
3. You can then also use domestic predators - eg. cats and dogs. Not all types do so look into this.
4.  You can then use Live-traps (release far enough way as they can find their way back) or instant kill traps which kill the rodents easily. You can also use electronic devices. 
5. The last result is poison poisons. Use them in this order:
6. 1. Cholecalciferol – A biocide poison which causes a fatal vitamin D3 overdose when ingested. Available in bait blocks and used in the same way as first and second-generation rodenticides. Negligible risk of secondary poisoning to raptors, however extremely toxic to pets (especially dogs).
   2. Fumigant (aluminium phosphide or hydrogen cyanide) – contact a local pest control company. Produces deadly gas on contact with moisture. Death is probably very quick with most dying underground, so little or no risk to others. Note: in the EU, aluminium phosphide is only approved for use outdoors.
   3. Alphachloralose – (mice only). Contact a local pest control company. Death is apparently fairly quick with most dying close to the baiting points or in runs or burrows, so little risk to others. Note: in the EU and UK, Alphachloralose is only approved for the indoor control of mice.

    

    

   Warning: All poisons listed below should only be used as a last resort where non-toxic and less-toxic methods have been tried and a significant rodent problem still endangers humans.
   Read the rat poison products list – this lists the product names and active ingredients.

   1. Warfarin, coumatetralyl, or chlorophacinone – Warning: Use only as a last resort. widely available first-generation anti-coagulants. Inhumane. Death is very slow. Bait covering ineffective. Fairly high risk of secondary poisoning. Far less toxic and metabolises out of the body faster than those listed below. Rats resistant in some areas.  
   2. Difenacoum – Warning: very toxic. second-generation anti-coagulant. Inhumane. Death is very slow. Bait covering ineffective. High risk of secondary poisoning. May be very slightly safer than those listed below. Widely available. Avoid where Barn Owls are present.
   3. Bromadiolone – Warning: very toxic. second-generation anti-coagulant. Inhumane. Death is very slow. Bait covering ineffective. High risk of secondary poisoning. Widely available. Avoid where Barn Owls are present. Read the rat poison products list.
   4. Flocumafen, brodifacoum, difethialone – Warning: extremely toxic. Inhumane. Death is very slow. Bait covering ineffective. High risk of secondary poisoning. Avoid where Barn Owls are present. Read the rat poison products list.

   Warning: Do not use poison where or when there is no rodent problem.
   So-called Preventative Baiting and Permanent Baiting are a major cause of secondary poisoning and contrary to the UK Rodenticide Stewardship Regime. When there are insufficient rats to consume the bait it will be eaten by non-target small mammals such as Wood Mice and Bank Voles. Even Field Voles and Common Shrews have been found to contain rat poison. The contamination of these harmless little animals results in the poisoning of Barn Owls and Kestrels.

    

    

Major Roads 

Did you know that in a typical year Britain's 4,00 pairs of Barn Owls produce 12,000 young 

• But 3,000 - 5,000 of these are killed on just roads alone
• Only 2% of Britain's road network are classed as Major Roads. However this is where 95% of Barn Owls die
• Most deaths on major roads happen in the autumn and involve young Barn Owls
•  research shows that by the time most young Barn Owls die on major roads, most of those that were going to die of some other cause are already dead. Rather than killing birds that were going to die anyway, major roads primarily kill the ones that should have survived.

The solution