An Oddity in the Owl World: The Burrowing Owl’s Unique Nest
By Nature Saskatchewan
After a long journey from the American Southwest and Mexico, Burrowing Owls have finally arrived at their summer home on the prairies. With breeding season well underway, the endangered owls are now pairing up and selecting their nests where they will soon be laying and incubating their eggs.
Burrowing Owls are generalists in terms of their habitat requirements, however, there are a few things that they need and prefer. They like areas of short, sparse vegetation, especially around their nest so they can easily see and detect predators, flat open grassland with a mosaic of grass heights, and, as their name tells us, an abundance of burrows.
PHOTO BY ASHLEY VASS
PHOTO BY J.STEFANKIW
PHOTO BY SARAH VINGE MAZER
Burrowing Owls rely on abandoned burrows made by burrowing mammals such as badgers and ground squirrels. Once a suitable burrow is found, the female will lay 6-12 eggs, with 9 being the average. Because there are thought to be as few as 270 breeding owls throughout Canada, the success of each nest is important to the survival and recovery of this species.
While most nests occur in grazed native or tame grassland pastures, they can also be found in cropland and along roadsides in the ditch. Grace Pidborchynski, Habitat Stewardship Coordinator at Nature Saskatchewan, explains why: “Agricultural fields, particularly in the spring when the fields are newly plowed and before crops grow tall, can draw owls in since they like short vegetation to detect and capture prey”. Ditches can be acceptable foraging and nesting areas as they often have a mix of vegetation that attracts small mammals and insects for the owls to eat. “If there are burrows available, it’s possible that it could be used by Burrowing Owls”, says Pidborchynski. “So make sure to keep your eyes peeled and you might be lucky enough to spot one!”
Active burrows can be identified by the presence of droppings, or whitewash, at the burrow entrance, and pellets that were regurgitated by an owl made up of the indigestible bits of their diet such as fur, bones, feathers, and insect shells. If you discover an active burrow or Burrowing Owls on your land, do not fear! There are many advantages to having owls on your land, including free pest control. Burrowing Owls eat large amounts of small mammals such as mice and voles, and the young feed primarily on grasshoppers. In one summer, a family of Burrowing Owls can consume up to 7,000 grasshoppers and 1,800 rodents!
Nature Saskatchewan’s Operation Burrowing Owl records sightings of Burrowing Owls to help determine distribution and population trends across Saskatchewan. “Without the voluntary efforts of ranchers, farmers, and the general public, recovery of this unique little owl would not be possible”, says Pidborchynski. She encourages the public to report any sightings of a Burrowing Owl by calling 306-780-9833 or email obo@naturesask.ca. Personal information is kept completely confidential and never shared without permission.