- Athene cunicularia
Identification
Small owl. About 9 inches tall. Wingspan approximately 20-22 inches. Noticeable long legs, and bright golden eyes. Brown above, with white spotting and brown barring on the breast and belly. Somewhat buffy below. These owls also have prominent white eyebrows and throats. Of the two subspecies, Western hypugaea is slightly paler than floridiana in Florida. Florida birds are also more heavily spotted, with less buff underparts. A strong flyer, often seen in low, undulating flight. Burrowing Owls are also adept at hovering, fluttering like a kestrel over their prey.
Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Animalia-> Phylum: Chordata-> Class: Aves -> Order: Strigiformes -> Family: Strigidae -> Genus: Athene -> Species: A. cunicularia
Behavior
Though mainly a nocturnal hunter, Burrowing Owls are fairly active during the daytime. In broad daylight, these diminutive hunters perch conspicuously in the open, whether on the ground next to the entrance hole or on a neaby post. Fairly bold, typically allows people fairly close, unless it has owlets in the nest. Like most birds, they are very protective of their young. Eats a range of prey, including crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and small rodents. Places the dung of animals such as bison or cattle near its nest hole. The function of this was until recently unknown, but has been proven to attract beetles and other insects; a tasty snack. Though they will excavate their own burrows, they will readily commandeer the (sometimes)abandoned nests of creatures such as ground squirrels, prairie dogs, armadillos, and gophers.
