Burrowing Owls Arrive in Alberta and Begin Male Displays Involve to Search for Suitable Nest Sites

in Alberta Bu rrowin a year in the life of the Burrowing Owl

Spring Arrival in Alberta Courtship In April or May Burrowing Owls arrive in Alberta and begin Male displays involve to search for suitable nest sites. “coo-cooo” calls, bowing, scratching, Pairing Up – Monogamy? nipping, and short, Burrowing Owls do not generally pair for life. Even during flashy flights. A male one breeding season, while a male and female will remain will also attempt to together and dedicate themselves to one brood, they are not entice a female by necessarily “monogamous”. Females, in particular, have been assembling a prey cache reported to make quick visits to other males nearby. of small mammals to store in a burrow.

November-February Januar • Wintering in Texas ber y and Mexico m ce Fe e br D u a r r y e MARCH-APRIL Working Together b for the continued coexistence of prairie wildlife m M • Migrate North e and sustainable agriculture. v a to Alberta

r o c For More Information or if Interested in N h Making a Donation, Please Contact: g O w l s

May 1-15 6924 – 104 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T6H 2L7

r P. 780.437.2342 F. 780.438.6872 A

e • Adults arrive p October b E. [email protected] www.ogcpsp.com

r at nest site o

• Owls continue l

c • Female lays PHOTO CREDITS:

south and arrive

O 6-12 eggs Johane Janelle (www.johanejanelle.com) (front &

on wintering M back landscape); Other images generously

grounds a provided by: Tim Schowalter, Troy Wellicome,

y May 16-31

b Gordon Court, and Ray Poulin.

• Female incubates

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n eggs underground

p Sponsors:

September e

for 25-30 days.

l • Young molt into adult s y u Male hunts

u plumage and begin to A for food. migrate in early September June • Nestlings hatch in burrow August July • If prey supply low, younger brood members • Juveniles capable of sustained flight • Nestlings emerge and molt into sometimes starve. and can hunt for themselves juvenile plumage (note ‘buffy’ Often only 3-5 nestlings chest plumage of young) • Young disperse to nearby burrows survive. in late August • Juveniles can fly at 7 weeks old

Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk Alberta Fish and Game Association Burrowing Owls in alberta

Facts Ranchers and Farmers – Just What Are Those Long Habitat: What A Burrowing What Eats a Burrowing Owl? Aiding in Recovery Legs For Anyway? Owl Needs To Successfully • Hawks and Falcons • Endangered • Other owls: Great Horned and Short-eared • Current breeding range is about 1/3 its historical range. Raise A Family: The success of Maybe some of you already knew this? We didn’t. Recent • Badgers and skunks conservation efforts in research indicates Burrowing Owls have yet one more • Only a few hundred breeding pairs remain in Canada Nesting Canada is the direct “un-owl-like” characteristic: through the use of GPS data- • Coyotes and foxes result of dedicated loggers, Burrowing Owls have been recorded to run more Owls like their nest burrows to be in flat, open terrain that • Weasels than 1km in a stretch, never leaving the ground! is sparsely vegetated, and where grasses are short. WHY? stewardship actions • Rattle snakes and bull snakes by farmers and Owls can see approaching predators and more easily capture ranchers. Aiding prey near the nest. initiatives like Beneficial Management Manure? Why? Operation Grassland Community, producers are Feeding Practices: implementing beneficial management practices, reporting owl Not totally sure, but theories include: Owls also like tall, dense vegetation somewhere nearby – sightings, assisting researchers, and, most importantly, caring vegetation that is often associated with riparian (wetter) areas. • When using machinery, avoid destruction of nests by 1. Manure may mask their scent from predators. for prairie habitats that support owls and other wildlife. This tall, dense vegetation is basically the ‘food factory’ for the leaving a 3 metre (10 foot) berth around the burrow. 2. Manure attracts beetles that owls use for food. owls, as it is optimal habitat for the owl’s favorite prey: • Avoid use of pesticides in areas where Burrowing Owls Knowledge & Recovery insects, mice, and voles. Growing owlets require feeding 3. Manure has moisture absorbing properties that can are found. If you know where a nest site is located, avoid throughout the day, and the success of the nest is dependent prevent the nest from flooding. spraying within 250 metres (800 feet) of the burrow. As we all learn and share more about the needs and on having an abundant food source close by. behaviours of Burrowing Owls, we are all better able to BEEP, BEEP, ZIP DANG… The early owl gets the worm 4. Manure absorbs excess carbon dioxide that can build up Road Runner or Burrowing Owl? (or mouse)? • Prevent overgrowth of vegetation in nesting areas by tailor management strategies that support these needs. in a long underground tunnel. Satellite Burrows using moderate livestock grazing. Endangered The Early Burrowing Owl Areas with a high density of burrows are preferred. • Fence off wetland areas and use designated cattle watering A species facing imminent extirpation (no longer exists Gets The… Worm? Owls use additional, or “satellite” burrows as alternative stations instead. Healthy wetland areas provide optimal in province) or extinction (no longer exists anywhere roosting locations, for protection against predation, and for foraging sites for owls. Cattle will also benefit! in the world) if no recovery actions are taken. It is easy to figure out what owls and other birds of prey eat: caching extra food. • Drive more slowly if you know of owls nesting nearby. just examine the pellets they cough up. Close inspection of Owls tend to hang out on roadways, particularly at night. Burrowing Owl pellets shows skulls and other bones from Tidbits – What does a Burrowing Owl Eat? A Sharp Decline – Why? mice and voles, the outer shells of insects, and, in rare cases, In one summer a family can eat up to 1800 rodents crayfish! But what about something without bones or a shell and 7000 insects. Did You Know? A combination of some or even all of the following: – like earthworms? Recent, more careful, Burrowing Owl pellet analysis has revealed thousands of the practically Young owls practice their hunting skills on grasshoppers Only 6% of young owls return to breed in Canada • Habitat loss/degradation • Predation invisible bristles that earthworms possess in their skin. because they are plentiful and easy to catch. the year after they are born. Although scientist • Pesticides • Vehicle collisions A Case of Mistaken Identity: have determined that about 40% of young owls die • Weather patterns Most agricultural producers are familiar with this little owl – about the size of a The Short-eared Owl before they leave Canada, it is unclear whether the pop can on 4-inch stilts. Clues A Burrowing Owl May remaining owls choose to breed elsewhere or if they Spotting the difference between Burrowing Owls Be Nesting On Your Property: face high mortality rates on wintering grounds and and Short-eared Owls can be tricky. Here are some during migration. An Owl Of A Different useful tips: White wash splattering. Owl Feather?… The ‘Un-Owl-Like’ droppings look similar to white paint 1. Short-eared Owls are approximately 2X the size Habits Of Burrowing Owls splashes. A nesting burrow will have of the Burrowing Owl. many of these near the tunnel 2. Burrowing Owls stand tall on skinny, featherless • Not strictly nocturnal, you have likely seen them flying entrance. legs. Short-eared Owls have thick, feathery legs that Cattle and other livestock are beneficial to Burrowing Owls: and hunting either during the day or night. Owl pellets and prey remains. Pellets blend into its body. Grazing keeps vegetation growth to a height that is preferred by owls, and livestock provide owls a source of manure. • The only owl species in North America to nest are lumps of undigested hair and bones 3. Short-eared Owls nest on the ground, not under- underground (using abandoned ground squirrel and that are regurgitated by owls. ground like Burrowing Owls. If you see an owl badger burrows). Small manure mounds. Shredded horse or cow manure is fly up off a ground nest, it belongs to the Short- • Uncommon in owls, Burrowing Owls are frequent often used to line the inside of nesting burrows. eared Owl. hover hunters.