Burrowing Owl Guide
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The Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) is a small, long-legged owl of open country. Unlike most North American owls, it spends much of its time on the ground and commonly nests underground. Its upright stance, bright yellow eyes, pale eyebrows, and habit of standing beside a burrow make it one of the continent’s most recognizable raptors.
Burrowing Owls are active by day as well as at dawn, dusk, and night. They may be conspicuous near a nest, yet their mottled brown plumage blends remarkably well with dry soil and short vegetation. In North America, they occur mainly in the West and in Florida. Many northern birds migrate, while southern populations are generally resident.
Quick Identification
- Small owl with unusually long, mostly bare-looking legs
- Round head without ear tufts
- Bright yellow eyes and a yellowish to greenish-gray bill
- Brown upperparts covered with white or buff spotting
- Pale underparts crossed by brown bars
- Often stands upright on the ground near a burrow
- Low, direct flight with rapid wingbeats and occasional glides
At a distance, look first for posture and setting. A small brown owl standing in a prairie dog colony, pasture, desert flat, or roadside field is likely to be a Burrowing Owl. The absence of ear tufts helps separate it from small screech-owls.
Appearance and Field Marks
Adult Burrowing Owls have rounded heads, prominent pale eyebrows, and yellow irises. A white throat patch is especially noticeable when a bird raises its head or calls. The crown and back are earthy brown with numerous cream or white spots. The breast and belly are pale, with brown barring that is strongest across the chest and flanks.
The legs are long for an owl and sparsely feathered below the joint. This adaptation suits a species that runs, walks, and hunts on the ground. The tail is short, while the wings are relatively long and rounded.
The sexes are similar. Females average somewhat heavier, but size overlap makes sex difficult to judge in the field. During the breeding season, males may appear paler because they spend more time above ground and their plumage becomes sun-bleached. Females may look darker or more richly colored, but this distinction is not dependable for every individual.
Size and Measurements
Adults typically measure about 19–28 cm (7.5–11 in) long, with a wingspan of approximately 51–61 cm (20–24 in). Weight typically ranges from about 140 to 240 g (5–8.5 oz), depending on sex, region, and season.
A Burrowing Owl is shorter and much lighter than a Barn Owl and noticeably smaller than most crows. Its long legs can make a standing bird appear larger than its body measurements suggest. In flight, its broad wings and short tail give it a more substantial silhouette than expected from such a small ground-dwelling owl.
Range and Distribution
In North America, Burrowing Owls occur primarily across western grasslands, shrub-steppe, agricultural areas, and arid basins, from southern Canada through the western United States and Mexico. A distinct resident population occupies Florida. The broader species range extends through parts of the Caribbean and Central and South America.
Migration varies geographically. Birds breeding in Canada and the northern Great Plains generally leave for winter, traveling to the southern United States or Mexico. Many birds in California, the Southwest, Florida, Mexico, and farther south remain near their territories year-round. Distribution can be patchy because nesting depends heavily on suitable burrows and surrounding foraging habitat.
Habitat
Burrowing Owls favor open landscapes with low vegetation, exposed ground, and an adequate supply of underground retreats. Typical habitats include shortgrass prairie, desert scrub, sagebrush flats, cattle pasture, agricultural margins, and prairie dog or ground-squirrel colonies.
They also use human-modified sites such as airports, fairgrounds, vacant lots, drainage areas, golf-course edges, and road embankments. These places may provide short vegetation and burrows, but they can expose owls to vehicles, construction, pesticides, pets, and repeated disturbance. Tall, dense grass is generally less suitable because it obstructs the owls’ view of predators and prey.
Behavior
Burrowing Owls are often visible in daylight. A bird may stand at a burrow entrance, bob its head, crouch when alarmed, or fly to a nearby fence post. Head bobbing helps it assess distance and may become more pronounced when the owl is curious or uneasy.
They commonly perch on low mounds, fence posts, irrigation equipment, rocks, and roadside markers. On the ground, they walk and run with surprising speed. Their flight is usually low and direct, combining quick wingbeats with brief glides. During courtship or territorial encounters, males perform aerial displays and may hover or circle near a nesting area.
Although pairs defend their nest vicinity, several pairs may occupy a productive colony of burrowing mammals. This loose clustering should not be mistaken for highly social colonial nesting.
Diet and Hunting
Burrowing Owls eat a varied diet that changes with location and season. Large insects—including grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, and moths—can be important, especially in warmer months. Vertebrate prey includes mice, voles, small rats, young ground squirrels, lizards, frogs, snakes, and occasionally small birds.
Hunting occurs both day and night, though prey selection may differ by time. Owls pursue insects on foot, watch from low perches, hover briefly, or fly low over open ground. Small mammals are often taken from a perch during twilight or darkness. Like other owls, Burrowing Owls swallow some prey whole and later regurgitate compact pellets containing indigestible fur, bones, or insect parts.
Vocalizations
The male’s principal breeding call is a soft, low, two-note coo, often rendered as coo-coooo. It may carry farther than its quiet quality suggests, particularly across open grassland after sunset. Females and young give higher-pitched calls, while alarmed adults produce chatters, clucks, screams, or rapid rasping notes.
Young owls in a burrow can make a buzzing hiss resembling a rattlesnake’s warning sound. This may discourage some animals from entering, although hearing the sound alone does not prove a snake is present. Around an active nest, listen from a respectful distance rather than approaching the entrance.
Breeding and Nesting
Most North American Burrowing Owls nest in burrows originally excavated by prairie dogs, ground squirrels, badgers, tortoises, or other digging animals. They may enlarge or maintain an existing tunnel, and some western birds use artificial burrows installed for conservation. Florida Burrowing Owls can dig their own burrows in sandy soil, although they also adopt existing cavities.
The nest chamber lies at the end of a tunnel that may extend several feet underground. Adults often scatter dried mammal dung around the entrance. The material may attract dung beetles and other insects, adding potential prey near the nest, and may also influence conditions around the burrow.
Clutch size is variable, typically around 6–10 white eggs, though smaller or larger clutches are possible. The female performs most of the incubation for roughly four weeks, while the male delivers food and guards the area. Nesting dates vary with latitude and climate, but activity is usually most evident from spring into summer.
Young and Development
Newly hatched chicks are covered in pale down and depend completely on their parents. Because incubation begins before the clutch is complete, eggs hatch at different times, producing young of unequal sizes. In poor food years, the smallest chicks may be less likely to survive.
Young begin appearing at the burrow entrance when they are about two weeks old. Juveniles have plainer buff-colored breasts than adults, with little or no strong barring, and their upperparts show less crisp spotting. They exercise their wings, chase insects, and retreat underground when threatened. Short flights begin at roughly six weeks, but family groups may remain together near the natal burrow while the young improve their hunting skills.
Where to See
Search open country where burrowing mammals are present. Prairie dog towns in the Great Plains and interior West are particularly productive. In the Southwest, check desert grasslands, agricultural edges, and level ground with scattered burrows. In Florida, closely mown fields and designated owl sites in residential or municipal areas can be reliable.
Scan burrow entrances, soil mounds, short fence posts, and irrigation structures with binoculars. Early morning and late afternoon often provide good light and increased activity. Remain on public roads or marked paths, obey seasonal closures, and never block a burrow entrance. A vehicle can serve as an effective viewing blind where stopping is safe and legal.
Similar Species
Short-eared Owl: This open-country owl is much larger, with longer wings, a streaked rather than spotted-and-barred pattern, and a buoyant mothlike flight. It usually perches above ground rather than beside a burrow.
Western and Eastern Screech-Owls: Screech-owls have obvious ear tufts when raised, stockier bodies, shorter legs, and gray or reddish cryptic plumage. They are associated more often with trees and cavities.
Northern Pygmy-Owl: Similar in overall length but more compact, with a long tail, shorter legs, and dark false eye spots on the back of the head. It usually occupies wooded habitats and perches in trees.
Juvenile Burrowing Owl: A young bird can initially look like a different species because its underparts are mostly plain buff. Its yellow eyes, long legs, rounded head, and close association with a burrow remain useful clues.
Conservation
The Burrowing Owl is commonly listed as Least Concern globally by the IUCN, but that broad category masks substantial regional declines. It has conservation designations in Canada and several U.S. states, and some local populations have disappeared as open habitat and burrowing-mammal colonies have been lost.
Major pressures include conversion of grassland, eradication of prairie dogs and ground squirrels, vehicle collisions, pesticides and rodenticides, reduced prey, construction, and disturbance at nest sites. Climate extremes may also affect nesting success and food availability. Conservation measures include protecting large open landscapes, maintaining healthy populations of burrowing mammals, reducing chemical exposure, installing properly designed artificial burrows, and managing vegetation around colonies.
Field Identification Tips
- Start with habitat: Look across open, short-vegetated ground rather than into trees.
- Check low features: Scan soil mounds, burrow lips, posts, rocks, and culverts.
- Notice the legs: No other regularly occurring North American owl combines such a small body with such long, visible legs.
- Confirm the face: Look for yellow eyes, pale eyebrows, and no ear tufts.
- Watch the posture: An alert bird often stands tall, then bobs or crouches.
- Age with caution: Plain buff underparts suggest a juvenile; barred underparts indicate an adult.
- Keep your distance: Repeated alarm calls, crouching, or retreat into a burrow indicate that an observer is too close.
Interesting Facts
- Burrowing Owls are among the few owls routinely seen walking and running after prey.
- Their long legs help them see over low vegetation and move efficiently on the ground.
- One pair may maintain several satellite burrows where adults or young can hide.
- Adults sometimes decorate nest surroundings with dung, feathers, plant material, or bits of human-made debris.
- Despite nesting underground, they remain capable and agile fliers.
- Northern migrants may travel considerable distances, while neighboring southern populations can remain resident year-round.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Burrowing Owls dig their own burrows?
Some do, especially in Florida and where soil conditions permit. Across much of western North America, they more often enlarge and occupy burrows made by prairie dogs, ground squirrels, badgers, or other animals.
Are Burrowing Owls active during the day?
Yes. They can be active at any hour and are often visible in daylight. Hunting for small mammals may increase around dusk and at night, while insects are frequently taken during the day.
Do Burrowing Owls live underground all year?
They use burrows for nesting, shelter, and escape, but spend substantial time above ground. Resident birds may use burrows outside the breeding season, while migratory birds leave northern nesting areas for winter.
Why do Burrowing Owls bob their heads?
Head movements help an owl judge distance by changing its viewing angle. Bobbing may become especially obvious when a bird is assessing an observer, prey item, or possible threat.
How can people watch them responsibly?
Use binoculars or a spotting scope, stay on established roads and paths, and avoid surrounding or approaching a burrow. Keep pets away, never place objects or food near the entrance, and back off if an owl gives alarm calls or repeatedly hides.
