The Book of the Barn Owl

by Sally Coulthard, Vanessa Lobach (Illustrator)

Few of us know what goes on after dark, underneath the moon. Sally Coulthard shines a light on the Barn Owl, one of the most mesmerising and elusive icons of the countryside.

With its heart-shaped face and silent, graceful flight, the Barn Owl regularly tops the nation's list of favourite birds. A brief sighting is a thrill, hovering along a hedgerow or sweeping over a stubble field, but how much do we really know about this sublime tenant of the night? We humans, ever the egocentrics, fancy we see ourselves in the Barn Owl's big, baby eyes and quizzical tilt of the head. But the Barn Owl lives on a different plane - a yearly see-saw of feast and famine, companionship and solitude. It's a tough life - living in the shadows - but the Barn Owl has made it this far.

Sally Coulthard explores the hidden world of the Barn Owl. Full of fascinating insights, conservation advice and the latest research, this affectionate and timely guide also tells the story of a Barn Owl's early life - from first pip of the shell to leaving the nest - a fascinating time in this captivating creature's journey.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Animals, Audiobook, Birds, British Literature, Science

140 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2022

About the author

After studying Archaeology & Anthropology at Oxford University, best-selling author and designer Sally Coulthard has spent the last twenty years designing, making and writing about homes, craft and outdoor spaces. She sees no boundary between the rules that govern good interior design and those which are needed to craft a spectacular studio or glorious garden.

Keen to make good design accessible, she’s written over twenty books about restoring houses, designing interiors and outdoor living. From garden styles to craftsmanship, creating workspaces to building sheds, Sally’s books inspire, encourage and equip readers to take on projects of their own.

Sally is a passionate advocate of rural living and regularly writes about nature and her experiences of smallholding deep in North Yorkshire countryside, including her ‘Good Life in Country’ column for Country Living magazine.

Reviews

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative for such a short book. I didn't realise how much I didn't know about barn owls.

[Gabriela · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my absolute favorite things to do is to pick up a book on a subject I know nothing about.
Lately, I have been intrigued by owls and their behavior, as well as nocturnal animals.

This book was engaging and very easy to read.
The descriptions of their behavior and habitat made for an interesting read and the overall narration made it a very soothing read.

[Edie · Rating 5 out of 5]

good lowdown on barn owls! i loove owls <3

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’ve already read Jennifer Ackerman’s books, this one won’t teach you very much, but it’s a good starting point.

[Tuesdayschild · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting facts about owls, but I guess I was hoping for a more engaging read - owls are one of my most favourite birds - and perhaps a more story-based approach to barn owls, and one that was a less professional in tone.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely tribute to a beautiful creature of the twilight and night, packed full of little-known facts, conservation information with a list of resources at the back and, of course, lovely illustrations. This taught me much about the life cycle of barn owls in the UK and how they hunt, nest, mate, and feed and raise their young to begin the cycle again. I found this on a trip to Scotland, and in Edinburgh, even the chain bookstores like Waterstone's and Blackwell's have nature writing sections that are about seven times the size of the ones we have here in the US (yes, I counted the shelves). I came home with a small but treasured collection of books about puffins, owls, and curlews, among other things, and this was one of those treasures (actually read on the plane before landing back home).

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short charming book filled with information and facts about the lives and habitats of barn owl set against the framework of the nesting cycle of a pair of barn owls. Although UK centric, much of information will be relevant to readers in other parts of the world.

Some of the information at the end of the book about threats to barn owls and what can be done to redress them is a bit simplistic as the threat of climate change and its impact on the owls and their prey is given short shrift.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, my favourite part was the writing, it really felt like a cosy and explanatory read. The decision about the order of the chapters/story was great and kept the story interesting and flowing at a good pace. The information was informative and I appreciated the final chapter gave tips to help the Barn Owl population. I massively admire these bird and love them as they are my mothers favourite animal and I always want to learn more and this was a great addition to the learning.

[Charty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small but well stuffed booklet about all things barn owl, just as the title implies. Loosely structured around the hatching of new born owlets, the book covers all aspects of owl life which in some ways is quite comprehensive and yet in other areas remains quite mysterious, which seems fitting for such a shy, nocturnal species.

I appreciate how much info was included in such a compact package. There’s also a directory in the back that has listings of various owl charities and organizations if readers are looking for additional information or ways to help support barn owl populations.

[Grace Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic book by Sally Coulthard. So well written it was annoying to be interrupted whilst reading it! I didn't want to put it down!
Sally is so full of knowledge which she imparts in a way that is so easy to absorb. Her writing style is perfect. Thanks to this little book I am now building a barn owl nest box in my field shelter and look forward to having a natural source of pest control!

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful, fact filled book. Am buying a copy for myself and for my niece this Christmas.

I thought I knew quite a bit about owls, especially barn owls, but I wasnt even close. Since their habit is disappearing, the book has a help chapter including ways to help owls worldwide, everywhere except my country, Canada. I'll be looking into it and seeing what I can do near my home to help keep these wondrous creatures here for many years to come.

Highly recommended

[Robert Lambregts · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful and extremely interesting surprise this short book was. I had no idea the barn owl is such an interesting creature. I loved every detail of this and will now check out more from Sally Coulthard. I love these kind of books about nature, but this one really was way more interesting than I thought it would be. love it.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slightly clinical book about a bird I've never seen and doesn't live in my country. No stories of personal connection with the birds as I like in natural history book, rather, an overview of the owl's life and death and how humans impact their survival. Enjoyable though.

[Harriet Diggle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtful and informative. I listened to this as an audiobook and this was a brilliant way to absorb the information.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, realistic art. The facts are hidden in long paragraphs, so best for older kids.

[Cynthia Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read!

[Saturday's Child · Rating 4 out of 5]

How could I not pick up and read this book with such an attractive cover?

[Lester Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barn Owls❤️❤️❤️

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely little book, beautiful illustrations throughout and full of interesting information.

[Joy Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed listening to this book on the barn owl, I learnt so much. It was well written and sections flowed and engaging.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barn owls are my favourite animal. This was a delightful, highly readable but factual book. I learnt so much about them. Fab wee book!

[Alex T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good non-fiction about barn owls, richly illustrated and while the information given is not super in depth it still covers quite a lot of aspects regarding barn owls with a decent amount of depth. Do note that this book is very UK-centric, by the way. It talks about barn owls, but 95% of it only covers barn owls in the UK. If you want to know more about other barn owls species outside of there I'd recommend looking elsewhere. Not that there's anything wrong with the author sticking to the UK birds only, but it does feel a bit small-scale and not like we're tackling the entire topic at hand, since barn owl species are very widespread across the world.

Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/20...

[空 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like owls.