All About Burrowing Owls

The burrowing owl gets its name because it sits on the ground, unlike other species of owls. Also called the ground owl, the burrowing owl makes its home in underground tunnels. Many times, it will simply use a nearby abandoned burrow created by another ground animal, such as a squirrel, gopher, prairie dog, or badger. If an abandoned tunnel is not available, the burrowing owl will look for soft ground so it can dig a tunnel of its own. During the day, the burrowing owls will emerge from their tunnels, but will generally stay near the entrance unless it is out actively searching for food.

All about burrowing owls: Breeding

The burrowing owl's breeding season is in late March and early April. The male owl will choose a burrow and make preparations so it is ready for nesting. This usually includes clearing out the burrow, widening the entrance, and lining it with animal dung and organic matter. It is not exactly understood why the male lines the tunnel with dung, but there are a few plausible reasons for it. The animal dung may be the male burrowing owl's method of claiming that particular burrow for himself and a potential mate. The dung may also be a signal to female burrowing owls that a male is ready for mating at that location. Other practical reasons for lining the burrow with animal dung include hiding the owl's smell from predators, temperature control within the tunnel, and attracting insects for the owls to prey upon.

All about burrowing owls: Offspring

Once a female burrowing owl mates with the male, she will lay her eggs somewhere in their tunnel. The female lays up to twelve eggs at a time, with less than half of the offspring making it to adulthood. While the female incubates their eggs and cares for the baby owls, the male will venture out in search of food to bring back to the burrow. Once the offspring are old enough to take care of themselves, the female will go out on food-hunting expeditions with the male. At around three weeks old, the young burrowing owls will start moving toward the tunnel's entrance, waiting for their parents to bring back food. Around four weeks of age, the offspring may begin finding their way into other nearby burrows. A young burrowing owl is able to fly out and hunt for its own food by the age of seven weeks.