The message
from Malcolm contains these words:

An inevitable and delightful corollary, IME. Over the six or seven years
I've known this place, I've seen some considerable changes in bird life and
one of them was some huge screeching noise in the wee small hours
about four
nights ago. Ray didn't hear it but it frightened the hell out of me! I
imagine a barn owl? We get Little Owls here but this is a new event and
makes us wonder if it will drive the Little Owls away. Certainly, their
visits are few and far between now and that really does upset me because
that lovely, daft, hoo hoo thing of theirs in the middle of the
afternoon is
truly beguiling.

I don't think there is much evidence for competition between the two.
There isn't for food, though there just might be for nest sites. Putting
up some boxes would solve that, anyway.

Generally, little owls and barn owls don't compete for nesting sites,
though a little owl might not want to establish one if a barn owl is
nesting nearby.

When I had the smallholding, I had two pairs of barn owls and a kestrel
nesting in different buildings. I never saw a little owl there, but
there are some round here.

--
Rusty
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