The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is a small, long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. In Colorado Springs, burrowing owls inhabit grasslands and fields where they nest and roost in abandoned burrows created by prairie dogs or other ground squirrels. This unique owl has declined in parts of its range, including locally in Colorado, due to habitat loss. However, conservation efforts in Colorado Springs aim to protect and support burrowing owl populations in the city.
What Does the Burrowing Owl Look Like?
The burrowing owl has distinctive looks and behaviors unlike other owls. Some key features include:
- Size: These owls are small, growing just 7 to 10 inches tall and weighing 4 to 7 ounces.
- Color: Their plumage is sandy brown with white spotting. The chest and abdomen is whitish with brown barring.
- Facial Disk: Burrowing owls lack the definite, heart-shaped facial disks typical of most owls. Their facial feathers are tan instead of a darker frame.
- Eyes: Yellow eyes stand out against their light facial feathers.
- Legs: Their legs are relatively long and covered in whitish feathers down to the toes.
- Behaviors: Burrowing owls are often active during the day unlike most owls. They may forage, bathe or preen outside the burrow.
Key field marks when observing burrowing owls include their small, sandy brown bodies with long legs, white chin, and yellow eyes. They are active owls that can often be seen outside their burrows in daylight.
Where Does the Burrowing Owl Live?
Burrowing owls once occupied grasslands and prairies across much of North and South America. Their range extended from Canada through the Great Plains down to Mexico, the Caribbean islands, and south to the tip of South America.
However, habitat loss has caused declines in burrowing owl populations through much of their former range. Today, strongholds exist in grassland areas of the western Great Plains, west coast, Florida, Mexico, and South America.
In Colorado Springs, burrowing owls are found breeding in the following main locations:
- Airport: Colorado Springs Airport property contains protected burrowing owl habitat with nesting pairs each year.
- Jimmy Camp Creek: This area south of the airport has a protected burrowing owl colony with over 35 pairs as of 2015.
- Prairie landscapes: Scattered nesting pairs use prairie dog towns and fields north and east of the city.
Outside of the breeding season, burrowing owls may disperse and utilize grasslands throughout the Colorado Springs area and eastern plains. But the largest concentrations remain around the airport.
What Does Burrowing Owl Habitat Look Like?
Burrowing owls require open habitats with low vegetation and available burrows for nesting and shelter. Typical burrowing owl habitat includes:
- Shortgrass prairies
- Overgrazed pastures
- Prairie dog towns
- Agricultural fields
- Airports
- Vacant lots
- Golf courses
- University campuses
These landscapes provide the low, sparse vegetation that allows burrowing owls to detect approaching predators or prey. Burrowing owls also need burrows made by mammals like prairie dogs, ground squirrels, badgers, and coyotes. The owls rarely dig burrows themselves.
In Colorado Springs, the main habitat used by burrowing owls consists of:
- Prairie dog towns – Both active and abandoned colonies provide nesting burrows.
- Airport grasslands – Mowed, flat landscapes offer nesting and hunting opportunities.
- Vacant lots – Temporary nesting habitat when burrows are available.
Maintaining these open grassland habitats is essential for sustaining burrowing owls in Colorado Springs amidst pressures from development and habitat loss.
What Does the Burrowing Owl Eat?
Burrowing owls are opportunistic predators that eat a wide variety of insects, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and other small prey. Some common foods include:
- Beetles
- Grasshoppers
- Crickets
- Moths
- Small rodents – voles, mice, rats
- Pocket gophers
- Snakes
- Lizards
- Frogs and toads
The owls hunt from perches or while hovering; they also chase prey on foot across the ground. At times, burrowing owls will cache extra food in their burrows.
Adaptable predators, burrowing owls in Colorado Springs take advantage of abundant prairie dog populations and insects associated with pastures and grasslands. These food resources allow the owls to thrive.
How Does the Burrowing Owl Nest?
One of the most unique traits of burrowing owls is their nesting behavior. Unlike tree or cavity-nesting owls, burrowing owls nest underground in existing burrows or tunnels.
Typical nesting burrows used by burrowing owls include:
- Old prairie dog burrows
- Abandoned ground squirrel burrows
- Badger or coyote dens
- Natural cavities under rocks or roots
- Artificial burrows created for burrowing owls
In Colorado Springs, most owls nest in unused prairie dog holes in active or abandoned prairie dog towns. The birds will also readily use artificial burrows installed specifically for nesting owls.
Burrow dimensions are important for owls. Ideal burrows have tunnels 6-10 inches wide that extend 3-6 feet underground. The nest chamber needs to open up to allow the owls room to nest and rear chicks.
Both male and female burrowing owls help excavate and clean out a burrow each spring for egg-laying and raising young. Owls will line the nest chamber with dried manure, plant debris, grass, feathers or other soft materials.
When Does the Burrowing Owl Breed in Colorado?
The breeding season for burrowing owls follows an annual cycle in Colorado Springs:
- March to April – Owls return to the breeding grounds and begin pair bonding.
- April to May – Owls establish and defend nesting territories. Pairs repair old burrows or excavate new nests.
- May to July – Females lay eggs and incubate; chicks hatch and are tended by both parents.
- June to August – Young owls fledge and all owl families leave nest burrows.
- September to February – Non-breeding period when owls disperse and may migrate locally.
The nesting season runs from about April through August each year. Egg-laying in Colorado springs typically peaks in May but extends into early July. The average clutch size is 5 to 7 eggs that incubate for about 28 days. Young owlets fledge in 45 days but may remain dependent on parents into September.
What Threats Do Burrowing Owls Face?
Several factors have contributed to burrowing owl declines across their range:
- Habitat loss – Prairie dog eradication, urban development, and conversion of grasslands to agriculture have severely reduced nesting habitat.
- Control of prairie dogs – Eliminating prairie dog colonies through poisoning, burning or bulldozing indirectly impacts burrowing owls by removing their primary nest burrows.
- Predators – Badgers, foxes, coyotes, snakes and other natural predators may decrease owl productivity and survival.
- Vehicles – Collisions with cars, trucks and planes are a significant source of mortality for burrowing owls near roads and airports.
- Shooting – Some gun enthusiasts illegally target burrowing owls as pests or for sport.
In Colorado Springs, extensive eradication of prairie dog colonies has been the main cause of declining owl populations. Conservation now focuses on protecting prairie dog ecosystems to support burrowing owls. Continued public education is also needed to reduce shooting.
Why Are Burrowing Owls Important?
As predators of insects and small mammals, burrowing owls help control populations of potential pest species. They also contribute to healthy prairie dog communities through their nesting activities.
More broadly, burrowing owls serve as indicators of the overall health of prairie ecosystems. Their presence signals appropriately managed grasslands. When burrowing owl numbers decline, it may indicate issues with grazing, poisoning or other factors negatively impacting prairie habitat.
As charismatic grassland raptors, burrowing owls can serve as flagship species for conservation. Protecting habitat for burrowing owls simultaneously benefits numerous other prairie animals. Ecotourism focused on burrowing owls also provides economic incentives for preservation.
Ultimately, conserving burrowing owls is important because they are intrinsically valuable members of Colorado’s native wildlife diversity. Their unique natural history merits efforts to maintain sustainable populations.
How is the Burrowing Owl Population Monitored?
Wildlife agencies and conservation groups monitor burrowing owl populations using annual breeding surveys. The methods involve:
- Surveying all known nesting areas for owls and signs of nesting activity in April – July.
- Monitoring known nest burrows to count eggs, owlets, and fledglings.
- Banding juvenile owls with colored leg bands to track movements and survival.
- Resurveying sites during winter to count overwintering owls.
Data from annual surveys provide an index of population trends over time. Comparing the number of active nests and young produced each year indicates whether burrowing owl populations are stable, increasing or decreasing.
For example, Colorado Springs Airport has conducted owl monitoring since the 1990s. Survey results showed declines until the early 2000s when conservation measures helped stabilize and increase the airport’s owl population. Ongoing monitoring tracks their status.
How are Burrowing Owls Protected in Colorado Springs?
Various conservation tactics aim to protect and expand burrowing owl populations around Colorado Springs:
- Habitat protection of core breeding sites like Jimmy Camp Creek and the airport.
- Installation of artificial nest burrows where needed.
- Restricting disturbance around occupied burrows in the nesting season.
- Working with land managers to follow owl-friendly grazing and mowing practices.
- Education programs to reduce shooting and promote protection.
- Monitoring populations and habitat use.
- Reintroducing owls to suitable sites.
Partners in burrowing owl conservation include Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, local governments, universities, zoos, and nonprofits. Continued community support for habitat protection will be key to sustaining healthy owl populations.
Can You Attract Burrowing Owls to Your Property?
Interested landowners can make their property more attractive to burrowing owls through careful habitat management:
- Maintain very short, sparse vegetation by grazing, mowing, or burning.
- Allow ground squirrel populations to thrive, or create artificial burrows.
- Remove trees and shrubs to open sight lines for hunting.
- Provide elevated perches such as fence posts or rocks.
- Control predators like feral cats, foxes, and snakes when possible.
- Do not use pesticides or poison that reduce prey populations.
However, burrowing owls should not be unnaturally concentrated on small parcels of land. It’s best to contact wildlife agencies for guidance before attempting to actively attract owls. Leaving grasslands untouched may be beneficial enough. Improving habitat for prairie dogs will also help owls.
Can You Keep a Burrowing Owl as a Pet?
Burrowing owls are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is illegal for private individuals to keep burrowing owls as pets or disturb active nests. Only trained wildlife rehabilitators or falconers (with special permits) can legally handle the birds.
Encountering a burrowing owl in the wild is a special experience. But these owls do not make good pets. They require very specific diets, housing, space requirements and expert care. Appreciate burrowing owls by observing them in their natural habitat. Support local conservation efforts to ensure future generations can enjoy Colorado’s owls.
Conclusion
The burrowing owl holds a unique place in Colorado’s grassland ecosystems. As specialized birds that nest underground and thrive in prairie dog towns, healthy burrowing owl populations indicate a landscape with appropriate grazing and management. Though once widespread, habitat loss has impacted many burrowing owl populations. Active conservation and monitoring now aim to protect these owls. With community support, the distinctive burrowing owls will continue delighting wildlife watchers across Colorado Springs.