In Our Backyard: Burrowing Owl
The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is one of the smallest owl species in the world, and they get their name from nesting in underground burrows created and abandoned by other animals. Burrowing owls breed in dry, open grasslands from April to May, and they migrate from September to October to Mexico and the southern United States. In BC, the burrowing owl’s habitat is restricted to the Bunchgrass bio geoclimatic zone making the Thompson-Nicola Watershed an ideal place for them to live.
Diet
The burrowing owl hunts for insects near their burrows during the day. They stay close to home because small appearance makes them an easy target for predators like coyotes and larger birds. With thin, long legs and bright yellow eyes, these birds make for excellent nocturnal hunters that forage for small mammals such as small birds, amphibians and reptiles in the night.
Watch this video to listen to the burrowing owl’s call:
Habitat
These charming creatures were historically found in the Creston, Merritt, Cache Creek, and Kamloops areas, but after decades of population decline, the burrowing owl came close to disappearing completely in BC. Burrowing owls were reintroduced to the Thompson-Nicola Watershed and the Okanagan Plateau to conserve and protect the burrowing owl from disappearing.
Threats
Because their prime habitat is the Bunchgrass bio geoclimatic zone and much of these areas are converted into agricultural land, the burrowing owl is an endangered species within the Thompson-Nicola Watershed and one of the most endangered birds in all of Canada. Other threats to the burrowing owl are as follows:
Habitat Loss and Fragmentation
Suitable grassland habitats for burrowing owls are lost due to agricultural and urban developments, and natural burrows from other animals are becoming less available for burrowing owl due to the general persecution of all burrowing animals.
Human Activity
Burrowing owls are very sensitive to human activity around their habitats. The owls may abandon their nests, young can be distracted and become easy targets for predators, and adults waste energy and hunting time while in defense-mode.
Insecticide and rodenticide
Use of insecticide and rodenticide not only poisons the pests it is used on, but also poisons animals, like the burrowing owl, when they consumed.
Predation
Predation from larger mammals and snakes greatly reduce nesting success by preying on burrowing owl eggs and adults.
Poaching or Accidental Shooting
Because burrowing owls are so rare, some hunters find pride in poaching these animals, but some hunters accidentally shoot these owls due to their small appearance and resemblance to squirrels.
Vehicle Collisions
Vehicle collisions with burrowing owls are becoming more common due to increase in road developments into grassland areas.
Conservation Efforts
In order to conserve and protect the burrowing owl, the Government of BC assigned the BC Recovery Team to establish direct research and conservation activities to help the species. The BC Recovery Team works with agricultural landowners to manage habitat availability for burrowing owls, but these management strategies are only verbal and not legally binding. The only government-protected burrowing owl habitats that are under Crown ownership are located in Lac du Bois Grasslands Provincial Park and the Osoyoos Dessert Centre.
Although the burrowing owl is one of the few species listed in the federal Migratory Bird Convention Act in which the nest is protected year-round regardless if it is active, despite extensive research and recovery efforts, there have been no effective management measures proven to stabilize the burrowing owl populations in BC.
The Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of BC is doing it’s part to help conserve this endangered species. This organization creates nests, raises burrowing owls, and releases them to establish new populations in suitable habitats. They also support and promote educational programs to help spread information about the endangerment of burrowing owls in BC.
What can you do to help the burrowing owl?
- Keep your distance. Retreat at least 50m from the owl/burrow.
- Do not approach a natural or artificial burrow. This buffer is especially important during nesting season which is April 1 to September 1.
- Leave the area and contact the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of British Columbia at bocsbc@gmail.com to report the date, time and location of observation.