Species: Athene cunicularia

Burrowing Owl

Species

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Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

This is a small, ground-dwelling owl with long legs, white chin stripe, round head, and stubby tail; adults are boldly spotted and barred with brown and white; juveniles are buffy below; average length 24 cm (NGS 1983, Peterson 1990).

Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Craniata

Class

Aves

Order

Strigiformes

Family

Strigidae

Genus

Athene

NatureServe

Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.106553

Classification

Other Global Common Names

Coruja-Buraqueira - Tecolote Llanero, Lechucita de las Viscacheras - chevêche des terriers

Informal Taxonomy

Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Other Birds

Formal Taxonomy

Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Strigiformes - Strigidae - Athene - .

Ecology and Life History

Short General Description

A small, long-legged owl.

Migration

true - true - true - Home range in Saskatchewan: 0.14-4.81 sq km; 95% of all movements within 600 m of nest burrow (Haug and Oliphant 1990). Significantly smaller home ranges were reported in Saskatchewan (0.08-0.49, average 0.35 square kilometers) during period of small mammal superabundance (Sissons et al. 1998, Wellicome 1998). Dispersing young use satellite burrows in the vicinity of their natal burrows for about two months after hatching before departing the natal area (King and Belthoff 2001).

Non-migrant

true

Locally Migrant

true

Food Comments

Diet includes primarily large insects (especially in warmer months) and rodents, sometimes birds and amphibians. In the Dominican Republic, prey composition by number of items was 53.3% invertebrates, 28.3% birds, 14.9% reptiles, 2.5% amphibians, and 1.0% mammals (Wiley 1998).

Reproduction Comments

Clutch size averages 6-7. Incubation, by female, lasts 27-30 days. Male provides food during incubation and early nestling stages. Young run and forage at 4 weeks, and attain sustained flight at 6 weeks. Nesting efforts average 3-5 fledglings per brood. Individuals first breed at 1 year (some may not) and generally produce 1 brood/year (double brooding documented in Florida).

Ecology Comments

Reported densities: 8 pairs/sq km (California), 3.5-6 ha per pair in North Dakota, 13-16 ha/pair in Saskatchewan. Territory defense mainly limited to immediate vicinity of nest burrow; individuals may share a common foraging area. Badgers play an important role in burrowing owl nesting ecology in northern Oregon; they provide nest burrows and are a major predator (Green and Anthony 1989).

Length

Weight

159

Conservation Status

NatureServe Global Status Rank

Global Status Last Reviewed

2011-06-18

Global Status Last Changed

1996-11-27

Distribution

Conservation Status Map

Global Range

FH - 20,000 to >2,500,000 square km (about 8000 to >1,000,000 square miles) - FGH - Breeding range extends from southern interior British Columbia (nearly extirpated), southern Alberta, southern Saskatchewan, southwestern and south-central Manitoba south through the western United States, central Mexico, central and southern Florida, and the West Indies, and breeding also occurs locally in much of South America (Haug et al. 1993, AOU 1998). During the northern winter, the species withdraws from the northernmost portions of the breeding range in North America. Wintering occurs regularly southward to El Salvador, casually or accidentally to western Panama (AOU 1998). California, New Mexico, and Arizona are important wintering areas in the United States (James and Ethier 1989).

Global Range Code

Global Range Description

20,000 to >2,500,000 square km (about 8000 to >1,000,000 square miles)

ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.106553