Burrowing Owl

The Burrowing owl, iccasionally called "Ground owl", is a grayish brown, round-headed owl lacking ear tufts. It has long slim legs and a short tail, and is smallish, about the size of a pigeon. The adults have a white abdomen with brown bars that are lacking on the young, which have a rusty throat instead. The Burrowing owl is active both day and night, and may be seen standing erect on the ground, though its small size and earth-colored plumage makes it difficult to spot. Burrowing owls are able to live for at least 9 years in the wild and over 10 years in captivity. Being one of the smallest owl species, Burrowing owls weigh only five or six ounces and are about 10 inches tall.

Habitat

The Burrowing owl requires treeless plains largely free of visual obstructions, such as grasslands grazed by livestock. It uses burrows abandoned by ground-dwelling mammals (e.g., badgers, gophers and prairie dogs) for nesting, roosting and caching food. Short or sparse vegetation and permanent cover are preferred around the burrows. Grasslands with thicker vegetation support the small mammals that they eat. Thus the owls need a mosaic of grass densities to successfully breed. The species is sometimes found on roadsides and crop lands and in urban areas where mowing keeps expanses of grass short.

Food

Burrowing owls mostly eat small mammals such as moles and mice during late spring and early
summer. Later they switch to insects, especially grasshoppers and beetles. They also prey on birds, amphibians and reptiles.

Behavior

Unlike most owls that only hunt at night, burrowing owls also hunt during the day. In October, they migrate to a warmer climate. Burrowing owls make a tremulous chuckling or chattering call. In summer they are active day and night.

Offspring

These owls inhabit their breeding grounds from April to September. Burrowing owls often nest in loose colonies about 100 yards apart. They lay 3 to 12 eggs in their underground nest from mid-May to early June. The female incubates the clutch for about 28 days while the male provides her with food. The young owls begin appearing at the burrows entrance two weeks after hatching and leave the nest to hunt for insects on their own after about 45 days. The chicks can fly well at 6 weeks old. Eggs and young in the nest are susceptible to predators such as snakes, badgers, skunks, foxes, cats and weasels. In addition many young starve to death
because the male is not able to deliver enough food to the nest. The family breaks up in August, when the young disperse over the prairies.

Threats

They are often killed by vehicles when crossing roads, and have many natural enemies, including badgers, coyotes, and snakes. They are also killed by feral and domestic cats and dogs.