BURROWING OWL
Athene cunicularia
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BURROWING OWL FACTS:
A small, long-legged owl with bright yellow eyes and broad, white eyebrow
Males: head, back, and chest are brown with white spotting, belly white with dark barring
Females: similar to male, but with heavier barring and spotting
Young: less barring; brown chest, buff colored belly
OTHER NAMES:
Ground Owl, Prairie Dog Owl, Gopher Owl, Cuckoo Owl
FAMILY: Strigidae
CLOSEST RELATIVE: Little Owl
BURROWING OWL SIZE:
Height: Males 19-25 cm (7.5-9.8 in), Females 19-25 cm (7.5-9.8 in)
Weight: Males 150g (5.29 oz), Females 150g (5.29 oz)
Wingspan Both: 50-60 cm (19.6-23.6 in)
BURROWING OWL RANGE:
Ranges from southern Canada all the way through South America; also found on Caribbean Islands
BURROWING OWL HABITAT:
Dry, open areas: grasslands, savannas, deserts, farmland; even golf courses, cemeteries, vacant lots, and other flat, open grounds within towns and cities
BURROWING OWL DIET:
Arthropods like beetles, crickets, and scorpions; small mammals such as voles; sometimes reptiles and amphibians
BURROWING OWL VOICE:
When disturbed in the nest, will imitate the sound of a rattle snake to scare off predators
Males: a soft coo coooo or a multi-noted warbled batch of coos; also a series of high-pitched, raspy “chack” or “cheh” notes
Females: a series of down-slurred notes or a warble
BURROWING OWL NESTING:
Nest Site: in burrow in flat or slightly elevated areas; burrows are usually made by mammals like ground squirrels, prairie dogs, badgers, etc, and are “renovated” by the owl
Eggs: 6-11 eggs
Incubation: 28-30 days
BURROWING OWL HUNTING HABITS:
Usually crepuscular, but can be found hunting anytime of day or night; walks, hops, or runs on the ground after prey; also hunts from perch; sometimes caches prey in or around burrow
BURROWING OWL CONSERVATION STATUS:
Not globally threatened, but listed as Endangered in some U.S. states and parts of Canada, a Species of Special Concern in parts of U.S., and Threatened in parts of Canada.
