How to Identify a Burrowing Owl

By Jennon

Instructions

Step 1:
Note your location and time of year. Burrowing owls are found only in the mid to far west of the United States, and in some parts of extreme southern Florida. Though they winter in the extreme southwest of the U.S., they live as far north as southern Canada the rest of the year.
Step 2:
Determine whether it flies away or darts underground when startled. When approached burrowing owls will bob up and down, and then eventually retreat to their burrows as opposed to flying away.
Step 3:
Observe the habitat. Burrowing owls prefer grassy, open meadows to forested areas. These grassy areas provide them with open views and loosely packed soil. Airports are a favorite urban home for these birds.
Step 4:
Check the time of day. Though occasionally active at night, burrowing owls are mostly diurnal, and are actually the most diurnal of any owl species.
Step 5:
Take note of the ears. Unlike many owl species, the burrowing owl has no ear tufts.
Step 6:
Observe the bird's size. Burrowing owls are quite small, reaching only about 9 inches in height, which is about the same size as a robin. They also have unusually long legs for their size in comparison to other owls.
Step 7:
Study the owl's appearance. Burrowing owls have yellow eyes with a face framed in white and a blackish collar of feathers. They have short tails, long legs, and have white spots on a light brown field.

Tips & Warnings

Many southwestern states mark burrowing owl burrows along a highway or other road with tall, white crosses. Not only does this alert cars and mowers to the presence of the burrow, it also gives the birds somewhere to perch.

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