The Burrowing Owl, once a common summer resident of the Southern Canadian and Northern American prairies are now rare and endangered in these areas. As their name suggests these diminutive little owls with long legs nest underground, however, not being very capable of digging their own burrows, they must rely on the abandoned holes of of small mammals such as ground squirrels, badgers, prairie dogs and foxes. They are active during the day, hunting their favorite food, grasshoppers and beetles. They also eat rodents, small birds, reptiles and carrion. Modern agricultural practices have severely reduced Burrowing owl habitat as well as introduced pesticides which accumulate in the owls body affecting reproduction. Several education and recovery programs are now in place to reverse the population decline and help establish a self perpetuating well distributed population within their historical range. For more information on the Burrowing owl, recovery programs or to make a donation visit http://www.mbop.ca
