Lisa Ellis and Michelle Rogne Studying Western Burrowing Owls

Biology                                                      Content provided by:  Lisa Ellis and Michelle Rogne, University of Arizona

Western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia hypugea) live in open grassland and desert areas in the Western US, Canada, and Mexico. They are unique among birds in that they nest underground in existing ground squirrel, coyote, and badger burrows. Burrowing owls are also commonly associated with humans and will frequently nest in burrows along irrigation ditches, canals, and even in people’s yards. Unlike other owls, they are typically visible during daylight hours and are easily spotted as they spend much of their time standing or perching near their nest burrow.  

Their breeding season begins mid-March and extends to late August, when some adults and juveniles disperse from their nest burrow. Some owls will stay in the area year round while others migrate further south for the winter. Burrowing owls typically lay a clutch of 7-10 eggs and fledge an average of 3-4 juveniles per nest. Their diet consists of a variety of insects, frogs, lizards, snakes, birds, and small mammals.  
 

Conservation Status

B urrowing owls have suffered population declines and range contraction in North America. Burrowing owls are federally endangered in Canada and are listed as a Species of National Conservation Concern in the U.S.  Burrowing owls are state endangered in Minnesota and Iowa, and populations have declined in states across the Western US.

Our Study

How we do this

We monitor active burrowing owl nests on and around the Monument to estimate these life history traits. Owls are trapped at their burrow and fitted with an aluminum leg band. Each band has a unique letter/number combination that can be read from a distance using a spotting scope. Resighting banded owls in following years allows us to calculate the survival and dispersal distance of adult and juvenile owls.

For More Information....

Contact:

Dr. Courtney J. Conway
U.S. Department of Interior
USGS, Biological Resources Division
Arizona Coop. Fish & Wildlife Research Unit
104 Biological Sciences East
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721

ph: 520-626-8535
FAX: 520-621-8801

email: cconway@ag.arizona.edu

Links:

Dr. Conway's faculty profile page