Owl Sanctuary
A Sanctuary for Life
The Barn Owl Centre’s Owl Sanctuary was created in January 1997 and has grown alongside our work supporting owls in the wild. Over the years, it has provided lifelong care for unwanted or mistreated captive-bred owls, giving them a permanent home where their individual needs can be understood and supported throughout their lives.
Caring for these owls over many years has given us the opportunity to know them as individuals and to learn from them at close quarters. One lesson has remained constant throughout our journey — every owl has its own individual character and behaviours.
Life at the Sanctuary
Life at the Sanctuary has always revolved around the individual routines and personalities of the birds. Their aviaries were designed so they could live safely in their own spaces while remaining aware of their neighbours, creating a small community where very little seemed to go unnoticed.
Over time, the birds came to know the daily routines just as well as their carers. Mornings began with names being called, familiar voices being recognised and plenty of interest in what was happening around them. Exercise, training and time with their carers were planned around each bird, allowing for their different behaviours, activity patterns and the all-important opportunity to simply rest.
After many years together, we learned to read the birds remarkably well — and they became equally good at reading us. If a routine wasn’t quite right, they usually had their own way of letting us know.
Lasting Memories
For many years, our birds became part of the lives of the people who came to meet them. Through experiences, educational visits and time spent together, visitors of all ages were able to discover their individual characters and personalities.
Some of the children who met our birds grew up and returned years later with children of their own. Even today, we still hear from people who remember individual birds by name and share the memories they made with them.
What began as a Sanctuary focused on rebuilding trust and providing lifelong care grew into something more — a place where the birds, their carers and the people who met them created memories that have lasted for generations.
Life Today
The familiar rhythms of the Sanctuary continue today. The owls still spend time with their carers, are regularly handled and enjoy exercise as part of the daily routines they have known for many years.
As they have grown older, things have naturally slowed down and become a little more relaxed. Each owl is supported in the way that suits them best, while their individual personalities, familiar habits and relationships with their carers remain very much part of everyday Sanctuary life.
The visitor experiences of earlier years may have come to an end, but our commitment to the owls has not. Their care continues every day, and their story is still unfolding. Looking ahead, our purpose remains the same — to provide lifelong care, respect every owl as an individual and continue sharing their stories, from the memories already made to the chapters yet to come.