Birds › Desert scrub › Burrowing Owl

Burrowing Owl

Athene cunicularia

Lives in old burrows dug by prairie dogs or ground squirrels. Young owls hiss like a rattlesnake when something comes near.

Where to see it for real: Needs open, flat ground with short grass; man-made burrows help it in some towns.

Spot it in the game

Lives in the Desert scrub habitat (Sonoran Desert, Arizona and Mexico).

Burrowing Owl facts

Family

Owls

Length

9.4 in (24 cm)

Wingspan

21 in (53 cm)

Weight

5.3 oz (150 g)

Diet

Beetles, grasshoppers and other insects, plus mice, lizards and frogs.

Range

Open dry country in western North America, Florida, Central and South America.

Nest

An old burrow of a prairie dog or ground squirrel, often lined with dung.

Song

A soft "coo-coooo", and a rattlesnake-like hiss from the burrow.

Active

at dawn, by day, at dusk and at night

Status

Least Concern on the IUCN Red List: widespread and not at risk.

What the Burrowing Owl sounds like

More: bird songs and calls, birds at night.

More birds of the desert scrub

Greater RoadrunnerDesert scrubCactus WrenDesert scrubGambel's QuailDesert scrubGila WoodpeckerDesert scrubCurve-billed ThrasherDesert scrubVerdinDesert scrub