BARN owls from a farm near Ludgershall have been tagged as part of an initiative to prevent their long-term decline.

The two young owls were tagged late last month in a bid to track their movements and check their population levels.

They had been nesting on land managed by farmer Jonathan Sykes.

He has been encouraging the birds to return to his farm with the aid of a grant from Defra's Countryside Stewardship scheme, which aims to establish more grass margins.

These provide an ideal hunting ground for barn owls, providing food for themselves and their chicks.