A barn owl believed to be suffering from rodenticide poisoning, is trying to hide in a nest box at a farm in Lake Riverside Estates. Anza Valley Outlook/Courtesy photo
There has been a noticeable increase in the discovery of dead owls in the Anza Valley. Seemingly up from recent years, the dead birds tell a grim story.Last year, Anza resident Dave Dolan was heartbroken to find his resident family of barn owls deceased one morning.“I maintain owl boxes on my property,” he said. “Barn owls are an excellent, natural way to control rodents. This morning I found my nesting pair dead below their box.”The consumption of poisoned rodents by the birds is suspected in the sudden owl deaths.Throughout the state, poison bait used to kill rodents has inadvertently hurt or killed countless wild predators and birds of prey.Animals that feed on squirrels, rats, mice and gophers, such as owls, hawks, raccoons, bobcats, mountain lions, foxes, s
