Burrowing owls are small, long-legged owls that live in underground burrows. They are found in grasslands, deserts, and other open areas across North and South America. Burrowing owls have very specific habitat requirements in order to survive.
Food
Burrowing owls are opportunistic predators that eat insects, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and other small prey. Their main food sources include:
- Beetles
- Grasshoppers
- Crickets
- Moths
- Small rodents like mice, voles, and rats
- Small reptiles and amphibians like lizards, frogs, snakes, and salamanders
Burrowing owls need a reliable food source and will not thrive in areas without adequate prey populations. They require plentiful insects and small vertebrates near their burrow systems.
Underground Burrows
Burrowing owls do not dig their own burrows – they rely on abandoned burrows dug by mammals like prairie dogs, ground squirrels, armadillos, and badgers. They can also use human-made spaces like culverts, piles of concrete rubble, and pipes. Burrowing owls need burrows for:
- Nesting – Burrowing owls lay their eggs and raise chicks inside burrows.
- Roosting – Burrowing owls sleep in their burrows overnight and also use them as shelter from predators and bad weather.
- Caching prey – Burrowing owls store excess food in their burrows for later consumption.
- Hiding from threats – When alarmed, burrowing owls retreat into their burrows for safety.
Without underground burrows, burrowing owls would lose their nesting sites, shelter, and food storage. They require areas with plenty of usable burrows to support their populations.
Open Habitat with Low Vegetation
Burrowing owls prefer open habitats including:
- Prairies
- Grasslands
- Rangeland
- Agricultural areas
- Airports
- Golf courses
- Vacant lots
They avoid dense vegetation and heavily forested areas. Burrowing owls need open areas near their burrows for:
- Hunting – Low vegetation gives them clear lines of sight to spot prey.
- Predator detection – Open areas with sparse vegetation allow burrowing owls to easily see potential predators.
- Displaying territorial behavior – Burrowing owls perform display flights and calls to defend territories, which require open sight lines.
Limited Human Disturbance
Burrowing owls are very sensitive to human activities near their nests. Disturbances such as close approaching vehicles, pedestrians, loud noises, and construction activities may cause nest abandonment. Burrowing owls do best in areas relatively undisturbed by humans including:
- Remote grassland or prairie habitats
- Protected natural areas
- Rural airports away from busy urban centers
- Abandoned lots and fields
- Agricultural fields during the non-growing season
Even activities meant to help the birds, such as nest boxes, may be deemed threatening intrusions into their burrow space.
Protection from Predators
Common burrowing owl predators include:
- Coyotes
- Foxes
- Badgers
- Snakes
- Domestic cats and dogs
- Skunks
- Birds of prey (falcons, hawks, eagles)
Burrowing owls avoid areas with heavy predator concentrations. They are more likely to persist where predator populations are managed. Other protective measures may include:
- Installing one-way doors in burrow entrances to keep out mammals
- Removing vegetation around nests to increase visibility
- Using fences or pipes to make burrows inaccessible to non-tunneling predators
Suitable Climate
Burrowing owls live year-round in mild climates like Florida and southern California. In harsher climates, they migrate south during the winter. Climate factors supporting burrowing owl populations include:
- Mild winters without lengthy sub-freezing temperatures or heavy prolonged snow cover
- Hot summers supporting large insect populations
- Low annual rainfall and humidity in prairie or desert habitats
Extreme cold, snow, ice, and heavy rainfall are challenging for burrowing owls. They fare best in dry areas with mild seasonal temperatures.
Conservation Efforts
Many burrowing owl populations have declined due to habitat loss from human activities. Conservation efforts that can counteract these declines include:
- Preserving native grasslands and limiting urban development in owl habitats
- Managing livestock grazing to maintain sufficiently short vegetation
- Establishing protected wildlife and natural areas
- Installing artificial nest burrows where burrows are lacking
- Controlling non-native plant invasions that degrade native owl habitats
- Reducing pesticide use which limits prey insects and small mammals
With active management programs in place, burrowing owls can thrive even near human activities.
Conclusion
Burrowing owls have specialized habitat needs to survive and reproduce. They require abundant small prey, underground burrows for nesting and refuge, open habitats with sparse vegetation, minimal human disturbance, protection from predators, suitable dry climates, and habitat conservation efforts. By managing land to provide these essentials, burrowing owl populations can be sustained even near agricultural and urban areas.