Burrowing Owls doesn’t Dig.
The first surprising bit of information I learned about Burrowing Owls, is their namesake is a lie. Although they do nest underground, Athene cunicularia (which means little digger) actually don’t do the burrowing themselves. They find and move into abandoned burrows, flipping it to their needs before taking off for the winter to warmer climates. Once you understand this unique breeding trait, it’s easier to understand why Burrowing Owl populations in the Canadian prairie provinces have crashed 90% since the turn of the century.
But before that, let’s have some fun facts to lighten the mood, and celebrate just how special these animals are. Did you know…
Burrowing owls are smaller than pigeons, and mimic the hiss of rattlesnakes to ward off predators.
They migrate North to breed, and when they do, the male arrives first to select and prepare a burrow for the female. They don’t mate for life, but couples might meet up for a second year.
They are diurnal, which means they are active during the day, but hunt closer to dawn and dusk alongside roads.
So some good news, although burrowing owl populations have dropped significantly in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatechwan (despite programs to reintroduce the species), there has been success in British Columbia. Once completely gone from the Okanagan Valley, programs to reintroduce the birds have seen increasing numbers of returning owls each year. So why aren’t they coming back in the other provinces?
Although experts have yet to identify the main cause that’s causing declines, there are several reasons that contribute to their low numbers.
The Species at Risk Public Registry has named numerous threats to Burrowing Owls, but the main one is habitat change and manipulation from us:
A lot of their natural grassland has been converted to agricultural crops.
Roads and railroads often cause collisions when owls forage near them. And burrowing owls are picky when it comes to the grassland habitat they need to thrive and breed.
An under-grazed pasture (grassland that hasn’t been touched by larger grass-fed animals) is actually unattractive to them. They need a grassland abundant in tall and short grass, with a healthy population of small mammals too.
Because Burrowing Owls refurbish abandoned burrows as their home, they live in synergy with small mammals like ground squirrels, skunks, and prairie dogs. They also hunt mice and other insects which are seen as pests in agricultural industries and controlled by use of pesticides. The biggest culprit is neonicotinoids, an insecticide still allowed in Canada which contributes to the decline of farmland birds (among other animals)
So… what can we do? Well, luckily, there are both government and non-government groups working to better understand these threats, protect remaining grassland habitats, and work with farmers on solutions that benefit both cropland and burrowing owls. And there are ways that you can support them too.
1) Join the Ban with a Plan movement. Led by the Canadian Wildlife Federation, they are working to not only ban the use of neonicotinoids, but work with farmers to provide safe alternatives to this insecticide. This stuff is bad, people. It collects in the roots of plants, and has a direct involvement with the decline of pollinating insects like bees. You can sign their petition, learn more, or donate here.
2) You can financially support non-government programs, like the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of BC, which works to create a sustainable breeding program in BC by raising young owls and releasing them in the wild. They also work to conserve natural burrowing owl habitats. There’s different ways you can help them out, but financial donations can go a long way.
3) Educate and advocate: this one is easy as you’re already halfway there after reading this blog post! Now you just need to tell a friend of two about Burrowing Owls and the help they need if we want to help them succeed as a sustainable and thriving species. These birds are so small, probably not in your neighbourhood, and easy to forget about. But by spreading the word, getting more people involved, it’s a surefire way to build a movement.
