Burrowing Owl

Athene cunicularia

Nests underground in old prairie dog burrows. Bobs its head when curious, which is always.

Population: ~18 million (global breeding population, Partners in Flight estimate, cited via Cornell)
Habitat: Open, dry grasslands, prairies, deserts and rangelands with short/sparse vegetation, including adapted human landscapes like airports and golf courses
Fun fact: Unlike most owls, Burrowing Owls are active by day, nest underground in burrows dug by prairie dogs, ground squirrels, or tortoises (or self-excavated), and are known to line the burrow entrance with mammal dung to lure in dung beetles as prey.
Range: Western Canada through the western/central US, Florida and the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America, into most of South America outside dense Amazon rainforest and high Andes
Diet: Opportunistic carnivore/insectivore — mostly large insects (grasshoppers, crickets, beetles) plus small rodents, and occasionally birds, reptiles, amphibians, and some fruit/seeds
Size: 0.23 m
Wingspan: 0.55 m
Lifespan: 10 years

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