Just look at that face! Barn Owls used to be plentiful throughout all of Illinois, including here in northern Illinois. But as much of the Illinois prairie has been developed with small farms dwindling and conglomerate-based farms of soy and corn replaced hay, wheat and cattle enterprises, their numbers were decimated. By 2008, there were only three barn owl nests in the state of Illinois.
However, thanks to an Illinois DNR program called the Barn Owl Recovery Plan, from 2010 to 2015 the nests increased to over sixty and expanded their range to about sixty counties with most of the counties located in the southern half of Illinois. Barn Owls are an endangered species in Illinois. Source: Illinois DNR & Brown Owl Box Company.
So where can you see a Barn Owl in northern Illinois? For those who live in this area, the best place to view (and provide support if you are able) is the Stillman Nature Center. This wonderful organization provides a forever home for several birds of prey that are no longer able to live in the wild. You can also “Sponsor Our Species” (SOS) and become a Raptor Benefactor. Yes, I chose the Barn Owl (look at that face), but there are several other birds listed at stillmannc.org under the Support Us section. Also, check their website or their Facebook Page for when they offer “meet and greets” so you can meet the birds and their volunteers – highly recommended!
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