Burrowing Owl
Description:
"Athene cunicularia," is a small ground-dwelling Owl with a round head and no ear tufts. They have white eyebrows, yellow eyes and long legs. The Owl is sandy colored on the head, back, and upper parts of the wings and white-to-cream with barring on the breast and belly and a prominent white chin stripe. They range in length from 8 ½ to 11 inches with a wingspan of 20 to 24 inches. Burrowing Owls fly with irregular, jerky wing beats and frequently make long glides interspersed with rapid wing beats. They hover during hunting and courtship. These owls are comparatively easy to see because they are often active in daylight, and are surprisingly bold and approachable.
Habitat:
Burrowing Owls are found in open, dry grasslands, agricultural and range lands and desert habitats often associated with burrowing animals, particularly prairie dogs, ground squirrels and badgers. They can also inhabit grass and shrub stages of pinion and ponderosa pine habitats. They commonly perch on fence posts or on top of mounds outside the burrow.
Diet:
Burrowing Owls feed on a wide variety of prey, changing foot habits as location and time of year determine availability. Large beetles and grasshoppers comprise a large portion of their diet. Small mammals, especially mice, rats, gophers, and ground squirrels are also import food items. Other prey includes reptiles and amphibians, scorpions, young cottontail rabbits, bats, and birds such as sparrows and horned larks.
Interesting Facts:
Its preferred nest site is an abandoned mammal burrow which it sometimes enlarges by kicking out dirt. The nest, constructed by both the male and female, is lined with cow chips, dry grass, weeds, and feathers. The Burrowing Owl is declining over much of its range due to habitat loss. It is also an unintended poisoning victim in ground mammal eradication campaigns. They are listed as endangered, threatened, or a species of special concern in most states where they occur.
