Burrowing Owl

The Burrowing Owl, known scientifically as Athene cunicularia and colloquially as the shoco, is a small, long-legged species that graces the open landscapes of North and South America with its presence. This owl is distinctive for its lack of ear tufts and its flattened facial disc, accented by prominent white eyebrows and a white "chin" patch, which becomes more pronounced during certain behaviors, such as when the bird is agitated. Adults boast brown heads and wings with white spotting, while their underparts are white with variable brown spotting or barring. Juveniles are similar but lack the white spotting above and have less brown barring below. Both sexes are similar in size and appearance, with females typically being heavier and males having longer linear measurements.

Identification Tips

Burrowing Owls can be identified by their bright eyes, with beak color ranging from dark yellow to gray depending on the subspecies. They have notably longer legs than other owls, adapted for sprinting as well as flying. Males may appear lighter due to sun-bleaching of their feathers from spending more time outside the burrow.

Habitat

These owls favor grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, and any open, dry area with low vegetation. They are known for nesting and roosting in burrows, such as those excavated by prairie dogs.

Distribution

Burrowing Owls are found from the southern parts of the western Canadian provinces through Mexico to western Panama, across Florida, and on some Caribbean islands. In South America, they are common and widespread, avoiding only the dense Amazon rainforest interior and the highest Andean ranges.

Behaviour

Active during the day, Burrowing Owls avoid the midday heat and do most of their hunting during dusk and dawn, utilizing their night vision and hearing. They are capable of living up to 9 years in the wild and over 10 years in captivity. These owls often nest and roost in burrows made by ground squirrels and can mimic the sound of a rattlesnake when threatened.

Song & Calls

The Burrowing Owl is known to produce rattling and hissing sounds when threatened, mimicking the sound of a rattlesnake.

Breeding

The breeding season begins in late March or April in North America. Burrowing Owls are monogamous, sometimes forming loose colonies. They nest in burrows and collect various materials, such as mammal dung, to line their nests. Females lay 4 to 12 eggs, which they incubate for 3 to 4 weeks. Both parents feed the chicks, which leave the nest burrow about four weeks after hatching.

Diet and Feeding

Their diet is highly variable, consisting of invertebrates and small vertebrates. They mainly consume large insects and small rodents, rarely preying on ground squirrels. They also eat fruits and seeds, particularly from cacti. They have been observed using mammal dung to attract insects, which they then prey upon.

Conservation status

The Burrowing Owl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, though it is endangered in Canada and threatened in Mexico, Colorado, and Florida. Loss of habitat and control programs for prairie dogs, which provide essential burrows for the owls, are major reasons for population declines in North America.