Burrowing Owl

Athene cuniculariaOrder: STRIGIFORMESFamily: True Owls (Strigidae)

Breeding Location:

Grassland with scattered trees, Tundra, Savanna, Coastal ponds

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Often colonial

Breeding Population:

Fairly common to common but local

Egg Color:

White, nest stained

Number of Eggs:

7 - 10

Incubation Days:

21 - 30

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Lined with cow manure, horse dung, food debris, dry grass, weeds.

Migration:

Irregular

Overview

Burrowing Owl: Small ground-dwelling owl, mostly brown with numerous white spots and no ear tufts. Eyes are yellow. White chin and throat. Tail is short, and legs are long. Bouyant, erratic flight with slow, silent wingbeats. May hover briefly above prey. The scientific name means "little digger."

Range and Habitat

Burrowing Owl: Occurs in southwestern Canada, the western U.S., Florida, and northern Alaska. Preferred habitats include open, dry grasslands and deserts.

Breeding and Nesting

Burrowing Owl: Lays seven to ten white, nest stained eggs in nest lined with excrement, pellets, grass, feathers, and other debris, built in a burrow, pipe, culvert, or nest box; burrows are either dug by the owls or have been abandoned by ground squirrels, prairie dogs, badgers, or other small mammals. Female incubates for 21 to 30 days.

Foraging and Feeding

Burrowing Owl: Eats mostly large arthropods, but also feeds on mice, small rabbits, rats, gophers, ground squirrels, bats, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. Often watches from perch and then glides silently toward target; most active at dusk and dawn, but will hunt anytime throughout a 24-hour period.

Vocalization

Burrowing Owl: Call is a two-syllable "who-who." When disturbed in the nest, young sound an alarm that imitates a rattlesnake.

Similar Species

Burrowing Owl: Short-eared owl is larger, has black bill, and moth-like flight.

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Burrowing Owl

● Song: "coo-coo-roo or co-hoo", "who-who"

● Foraging & Feeding: Burrowing Owl: Eats mostly large arthropods, but also feeds on mice, small rabbits, rats, gophers, ground squirrels, bats, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. Often watches from perch and then glides silently toward target; most active at dusk and dawn, but will hunt anytime throughout a 24-hour period.

● Breeding & nesting: Burrowing Owl: Lays seven to ten white, nest stained eggs in nest lined with excrement, pellets, grass, feathers, and other debris, built in a burrow, pipe, culvert, or nest box; burrows are either dug by the owls or have been abandoned by ground squirrels, prairie dogs, badgers, or other small mammals. Female incubates for 21 to 30 days.

● Similar species: Burrowing Owl: Short-eared owl is larger, has black bill, and moth-like flight.

Flight Pattern

Buoyant erratic flight., Silent wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Burrowing Owl: Occurs in southwestern Canada, the western U.S., Florida, and northern Alaska. Preferred habitats include open, dry grasslands and deserts.

^BreedingMonogamous, Often colonial

^PopulationFairly common to common but local

^MigrationIrregular

^Weight5.3 Ounces

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Burrowing Owl

Breeding Location:

Breeding Type:

Breeding Population:

Egg Color:

Number of Eggs:

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Nest Material:

Migration:

Overview

Range and Habitat

Breeding and Nesting

Foraging and Feeding

Vocalization

Similar Species

Burrowing Owl

Flight Pattern