Committee News

Whiskey Creek Wildlife

  • February 2025
  • BY MARK L. FRANZER

THE BURROWING OWL

Burrowing owls are just “that”; they dig themselves homes or take over homes from prairie dogs, ground squirrels, or tortoises. Having preferred open habitats, their numbers have dwindled sharply from human alteration of their favored landscape. Hunting for insects and rodents during the daytime, the burrowing owl stockpiles their cache to ensure adequate supply during incubation and brooding. It’s hard to distinguish the sexes of this species, whereas most owls, the females are larger than the males. Not so of the burrowing; they’re the same size.

There is a significant uniqueness to these owls compared to other birds, Due to their underground habitat, burrowing owls have evolved to have a much higher tolerance to carbon dioxide since this can accumulate below ground. Further uniqueness of the burrowing owl is their efforts of carpeting the entrance of their homes with animal dung to attract beetles and other insects for sustenance. They even collect paper scraps, cigarette butts, and other paraphernalia, possibly signifying that the burrow is occupied. They’re a long-lived species, reaching up to ten years