The burrowing owl, which stands about ten inches (25 cm) tall, and weighs about six ounces (170 g), is an owl distinctive from other owls for the fact that is fairly active during the day. Although it does most of it’s hunting from dusk to dawn, and even though it tends to avoid the mid-day heat, the burrowing owl can often be found during the day, guarding the entrance to it’s “burrow”. The burrows they tend to inhabit are those vacated by prairie dogs and other ground dwelling mammals. They will use it’s feet to “remodel” the burrow to better suit it’s needs and to create a nesting chamber. In instances where there is a system of abandoned burrows to be found, multiple owls will move in and establish a colony. It’s long been believed that burrowing owls will live side by side in their burrows with the original inhabitants (prairie dogs etc.), but this is a myth.

Stay away from my burrow!

Burrowing owls can be found in the grasslands and semi-desert areas of Southwestern Canada, The Western United States, Florida, and both Central and South America. Burrowing Owls feed on insects, such as moths, dragonflies, grasshoppers, beetles and crickets, and small rodents, birds, frogs, and reptiles. They will also eat fruit and seeds, which isn’t always characteristic of owls.

Burrowing owls are mostly monogamous (taking one mate), and they will share the duties of incubating the eggs and caring for the newly hatched young. They are also known to fly close to larger mammals, like dogs and horses. It is believed that they do so in order to pick off any smaller prey that the larger animals may disturb. The species is known to be both caring and opportunistic; it uses this combination to give itself a life span of usually about nine years. Since they spend more time out in the day than most owls, they get the most out of their years.