Sooty is a very unusual black Barn Owl, whose sub-specie originates from Eastern Europe.

These owls are not common and are not even recognised as much more than a black European dark-breasted Barn Owl (tyto alba gutatta), or a throw back of the European Barn Owl in layman’s terms.

Their colouring is very different, making the owl very striking and beautiful to look at. So, as you can imagine, we were completely surprised and truly delighted when the sanctuary was given one of these usual birds as a gift from an owl conservationist in Belgium as a thank-you.

We had helped him by providing a male Siberian Eagle Owl so he had a compatible breeding pair in Belgium. He was so pleased with the help we had given him that he gifted the sanctuary with the owl we now call Sooty.

If you have not already met Sooty, he will be on close encounters most days and I am sure you’ll agree how beautiful and unusual he really is.