How Churches Can Provide Homes for Bats (and owls)
Our community churches (small and large) are the forefront of providing wild spaces for urban creatures. Old church eaves and ancient buildings are often the very places that wild bats and owls choose to roost and nest, as their habitats disappear.
Read our posts on how to help wild bats and wild owls. These posts include info on how and where to buy good houses and how to maintain and clean them safely. Plus info on how to prevent light pollution, drowning in troughs etc.
It’s illegal to disturb bats unless you’re qualified. If concerned about injured bats, disturbance or crimes, call Bat Conservation Trust, which runs a free helpline from people who are batty about bats!
Bat Conservation Trust has expert info on bat boxes including the best brands (some can integrate into walls) and how to care for them (avoid paint and pesticides).
Light pollution affects bats, so turn off lights when not in use and use blinds/task lights (this also helps stop birds flying into windows).
Bats in Churches is a website set up to help congregations help roosting bats, know how to safely clean the areas, and how to approach building projects. The site is also useful also to architects and town planners.
Barn Owl Trust has advice on how to choose, build, buy and site owl boxes, whether you do this indoors (like a barn) or on a tree. It says the nest box is only as good as the land surrounding it, for natural food.
You can’t disturb owls or owlets, unless a licensed wildlife worker.
Barn owls are protected by law from disturbance during nesting (from when the egg is laid until the last dependent stops returning to the nest). Penalties include fines up to £5000 or 6 months imprisonment (per bird, nest or egg).
It’s a worthwhile £300 for planners to take their training course (includes the Barn Owl Conservation Handbook. Chris Packham says every council should have a copy, so one staff member can become a ‘barn owl agent’.
