LEIGHTON Hall in Carnforth is celebrating of its first-born bird with the arrival of baby barn owl, Gillow.

Gillow, the offspring of Solly and Elsa, hatched on August 19.

It is still too early to determine whether Gillow is male or female - Leighton's staff must wait a few more weeks and see how Gillow's plumage colouring develops.

Males have pure white fronts whilst the female have speckled underwings.

Now six weeks old, he / she is just learning to pounce and is already showing signs of an adventurous and curious personality.

Gillow is being hand-reared by Leighton's resident falconer, Denise Barrow.

Denise said: "Gillow has the Barn Owl's distinctive heart-shaped face and absolutely lovely fluffy, gold colouring.

He is the first owl to be born at Leighton and is confirmation that the birds have settled down well into their new aviaries.

I am hopeful that this is the beginning of a very successful breeding programme."

Although barn owls are one of Britain's most loved birds of prey, their numbers are in sharp decline due to the destruction of their natural habitat.