Details
Athene cunicularia
A small ground-dwelling owl of grasslands and deserts, with long legs and a habit of standing by burrow entrances even by day.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Ranges from North to South America in grassland, semi-desert, pasture, vacant lots, and airports, often using existing burrows.
It is small with a rounded head, yellow eyes, long legs, and brown plumage dotted with white spots.
The owl stands at burrow entrances, bobbing its head while watching the surroundings, and retreats underground when threatened.
Insects, small mammals, lizards, and small birds are eaten, with hunting by day, dusk, and night.
Old burrows of prairie dogs, ground squirrels, or similar mammals are used for underground nesting, and parents defend the entrance.
Grassland development and declines of burrowing mammals have reduced some populations, though it can persist in urban open lots.
