Burrowing Owl
Athene cunicularia

The burrowing owl is a small, long-legged, primarily terrestrial—though not flightless—species of owl native to the open landscapes of North and South America. They are typically found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open, dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, and, despite their common name, do not often construct these dwellings themselves, rather repurposing disused burrows or tunnels previously excavated and inhabited by other species, such as American badgers, foxes, ground squirrels or prairie dogs, among others. Source
Where it is now
In the last 8 weeks this bird was recorded 74 times across 14 areas (each area is a 5 degree square).
See the Burrowing Owl on the live map
Arrival dates
The week it was first heard regularly in each region, after at least six weeks away. Dates differ from south to north, so a region has a range.
| Region | First arrival | Last arrival | Typical peak | Areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South America | 30 March 2026 | 30 March 2026 | 15 June 2026 | 1 |
Figures are effort corrected and come from automatic sound identification, which makes mistakes. How this is measured and how it compares with human observers.