Burrowing Owl
Athene cunicularia
When threatened inside their underground nests, young burrowing owls produce a chilling hiss that perfectly mimics the warning rattle of a rattlesnake.
- Scientific name
- Athene cunicularia
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Strigiformes › Strigidae › Athene
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Open grasslands, prairies, agricultural fields, deserts, and urban vacant lots with sparse vegetation.
- Diet
- Insects such as beetles and grasshoppers, small mammals like mice and voles, reptiles, and amphibians.
- Range
- North America, South America
- Size
- Height: 19-28 cm, Wingspan: 50-61 cm, Weight: 140-240 g
- Lifespan
- 6-8 years in the wild
- Active
- crepuscular
- Threats
- Habitat loss from agriculture and urban development, pesticide use reducing prey, vehicle collisions, and the eradication of burrowing mammals.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless but defensive of their nests. Maintain a safe distance of at least 50 meters to avoid causing stress. Keep pets on a leash. If you hear a dry, rattlesnake-like hiss coming from the ground, step back slowly to avoid disturbing a nesting burrow.
The burrowing owl ( Athene cunicularia ) is a small, long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated by prairie dogs ( Cynomys spp.). Unlike most owls, burrowing owls are often active during the day, although they tend to avoid the midday heat. Like many other...
Photo: Bill Levine, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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