The Vital Role of Burrowing Owls in Our Ecosystem

Burrowing owls hold significant cultural value and are often seen as symbols of good luck and wisdom. 

However, despite their importance and protective status under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, their populations are in decline due to habitat loss, urban sprawl, deforestation, and rodenticides. 

Greater Good Charities is committed to supporting initiatives aimed at safeguarding and restoring the populations of these at-risk species.

Importance to Biodiversity

Protecting wildlife is critical to protecting biodiversity. 

Burrowing owls play a crucial role in their ecosystem as top predators. Their role in controlling rodent populations is not just beneficial; it's vital. By reducing the spread of diseases to humans, a family of burrowing owls can consume up to 7,000 insects and 1,800 rodents in a single season. Their very presence is a key factor in maintaining the balance of the food chain.

Burrowing owls have a large geographical range and are relatively easy to study, making them valuable for scientific research. Their sensitivity to environmental changes allows them to serve as indicators of ecosystem health. They are found on every continent except Antarctica and represent global biodiversity.

Threats to Burrowing Owls

The primary threat to burrowing owls is habitat destruction due to human activities, such as land development. Other threats include pesticides, vehicle collisions, electrified fences, wind turbines, and hunting. Climate change only exacerbates these threats through increased wildfires, spring heat waves, droughts, and flooding.

Rescue Rebuild Success Story

Greater Good Charities’ Rescue Rebuild team worked with the South Florida Wildlife Center to construct enclosures for rehabilitating local wildlife.

A burrowing owl was brought to the center after flying into a window in Boca Raton. Despite no apparent trauma to its spine, the owl was unable to move or fly and had severely limited motor function with obvious pain in both legs.

The staff began physical therapy, sound treatment, and laser treatment to help the owl recover. After several weeks, the owl regained strength and could walk and fly. After being cleared, he was released back into the wild, ready to reenter the ecosystem.

7 Fascinating Facts about Burrowing Owls

1. Eyes Adapted for Night Vision: Burrowing owls' large eyes make up about 5% of their body weight, allowing them to see in low-light conditions. Their eyes would be as large as grapefruits if scaled to human size.
2. Remarkable Neck Rotation: These owls can rotate their heads 270°, compared to the 180° range of human necks. This ability is due to having 14 neck bones, seven more than humans.
3. Adaptive Nesting Habits: In the absence of natural burrows, burrowing owls adapt by nesting in piles of PVC pipes and other human-made materials. Conservationists often create artificial burrows to support their nesting needs.
4. Tolerance to Carbon Dioxide: These owls have a higher tolerance for carbon dioxide, an adaptation for living in underground burrows where CO2 levels can be high.
5. Unique Nesting Behavior: Before laying eggs, burrowing owls decorate their burrow entrances with animal dung to attract insects for food. They also collect bits of trash, possibly to signify occupancy.
6. Complex Conservation Needs: Efforts to protect burrowing owls can be challenging. For example, managing their populations near endangered species, like the Least Tern, requires balancing multiple ecological needs.
7. Dependence on Other Animals: Burrowing owls cannot dig their own burrows and rely on mammals like badgers, foxes, and ground squirrels to create suitable nesting sites.

You Can Help

You can support species like the burrowing owl by contributing to our Rescue Rebuild program, which works to rebuild and renovate wildlife sanctuaries to protect and rehabilitate local wildlife.

Many of these shelters are in dire need of repairs or have been damaged by disasters and lack the necessary resources for renovation. Rescue Rebuild guides these projects from concept to completion, providing construction consultation, free coaching services, and grants.

Your donations make this vital work possible.