Burrowing owls are small, long-legged owls that live in open, treeless areas. They get their name from their habit of nesting in underground burrows, often dug by other animals like prairie dogs or ground squirrels. Burrowing owls are active during the day and night, but there are certain times when they are more likely to be seen above ground.
Morning Hours
Early morning, right around sunrise, is an excellent time to try spotting burrowing owls. As diurnal birds, burrowing owls are most active once the sun comes up. They often perch on dirt mounds at burrow entrances or on low vegetation to soak up the first warm rays of sunlight. Their metabolism increases with the rising sun, so they are busy hunting for insects and small rodents in the early morning hours.
In particular, the couple of hours after sunrise offer high visibility of burrowing owls before daytime heat sets in. They are active catching prey and watching vigilantly for both predators and trespassing owls from other burrows. If you arrive at dawn, you can catch them busily bringing food back to burrows to feed nestlings. Therefore, dawn to mid-morning gives you the best chance of observing burrowing owls above ground and exhibiting natural hunting behaviors.
Late Afternoon to Sunset
The late afternoon hours leading up to sunset are also prime time for burrowing owl activity. As the temperature begins dropping in the evening, the owls emerge from burrows or roosts to resume hunting. They take advantage of the relative coolness and lower sun angle to search for prey. Positioning on mounds near their burrows, they intently scan the landscape for movement.
In addition to foraging, burrowing owls also become more social in the evenings. You may witness pair bonding displays as they prepare to roost for the night. Watch for males fluttering and bowing to females near burrow entrances and interactions between fledglings and parents. The enriched activity makes late afternoons until sunset another optimal window for burrowing owl viewing.
Avoiding the Midday Heat
Conversely, burrowing owls are less visible during the hottest, brightest times of midday. As desert-adapted birds, they retreat to the shade of burrows to escape the intense sun and heat. Above-ground sightings are much rarer from late morning through mid-afternoon when temperatures peak.
Burrowing owls lack the feather insulation to retain body heat, so they instead find refuge underground when the desert is hottest. Unless disturbed, they remain in burrows to conserve energy and moisture. They also avoid drawing attention from soaring hawks and eagles that utilize thermals during midday. If attempting to spot burrowing owls, it’s best to avoid the high sun hours when their activity is minimal.
Other Prime Viewing Tips
Here are some other tips to maximize your burrowing owl viewing opportunities:
- Seek out locations like prairies, grasslands, golf courses, and airports where burrowing owls are known to nest.
- Scan low perches like fence posts or dirt mounds near burrow entrances.
- Use binoculars for clearer view of owls that appear as small, brown-and-white specks.
- Listen for burrowing owls’ conversational cooing calls around burrows.
- Visit breeding grounds during nesting season when activity is highest.
- Exercise caution not to disturb or stress nesting owls when approaching burrows.
- Time visits for an hour before or after sunrise/sunset for peak activity.
Breeding and Nesting Habits
Understanding the breeding ecology and nesting habits of burrowing owls will help explain their active periods:
- Breeding season runs from March to August, with peak activity in April and May.
- Owls form monogamous breeding pairs that defend a nesting territory.
- Breeding pairs incubate 4-12 eggs for 3-4 weeks until hatching.
- Parents share brooding and feeding duties for the altricial chicks.
- Young fledge at 4 weeks but are still fed and trained by parents afterwards.
- Nesting sites are often reused year after year by breeding pairs.
Given this breeding ecology, burrowing owls have high energy needs during the spring and summer nesting season. They are extra vigilant guarding burrows and hunting to provide food for their chicks. Nesting activities keep them more visible above ground in morning and evening during their peak breeding times.
Habitat and Range
Burrowing owls live year-round in open grasslands, prairies, and deserts across western North America from Canada to Mexico. Some key details about their habitat range:
- Most widespread in the Great Plains grasslands of the United States.
- Also common in western states like California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
- Prefer flat, treeless areas with low vegetation for hunting.
- Depend on burrows dug by mammals for nesting and shelter.
- Thrive in open areas like airfields, golf courses, agricultural fields, and developed lands.
- Climatic range: southern Canada through Baja California and mainland Mexico.
Burrowing owls are well-adapted to deserts and plains at lower elevations. Their habitat distribution influences breeding patterns and drives their behavior patterns and daily rhythms.
Conclusion
In summary, the peak viewing windows for burrowing owls are early morning and late afternoon leading up to dusk. Their activity levels are highest around sunrise and sunset when they emerge to hunt and engage in social behaviors. Mid-day is the poorest viewing time when owls stay sheltered underground to avoid excessive heat. Knowing key facts like breeding season, habitat domains, and daily routines will help locate and observe these fascinating owls.
