Burrowing Owl

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This is a small owl (smaller than a pigeon). It has a short, stubby tail and long legs. There are no visible ear tufts on this owl. It does have white eyebrows and yellow eyes. The burrowing owl has a white chin stripe, with white spots on a brownish back and is barred on its chest.

The owl ranges from southwest Canada to western United States, through Florida to Argentina, and also the West Indies.  The burrowing owl will nest in small colonies. They live in dry, open country, farms, golf courses, open grasslands, prairies, vacant lots, cemeteries or fields; that is a short distance (two kilometers) from an abundant food source. They are usually seen standing on the ground or on a post near their hole during the day. They take over old burrows of other animals such as prairie dogs, but are known to dig their own hole if they have to. They will eat small mammals, insects, birds, reptiles, scorpions, or amphibians. This owl is also known to eat seeds and fruits.

 

Burrowing owls are protected in all provinces where they are found – BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. At one time, the Burrowing Owl was common in the four western Canadian provinces. Now, it is one of the most endangered birds in these areas. The decline in population began in the 1980s and accelerated during the 1990s to an average rate of 22 percent a year. In 1977, more than 2 000 breeding pairs of Burrowing Owls lived in Canada; by 2000, the number of pairs had dropped to fewer than 1 000.
Human activity has a great impact on the Burrowing Owl. Chemical pesticides, applied to control ground squirrels and grasshoppers, sometimes poison the Burrowing Owl. For example, carbofuran, a pesticide that is now banned, was linked to a reduction in the number of young Burrowing Owls. Strychnine-covered grain has also killed owls that eat the grain that is left in burrows to kill ground squirrels. Pesticides also kill animals and insects that the Burrowing Owl eats. This may force the bird to hunt far from the safety of its nesting site, making it more susceptible to predators and other dangers.

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