Burrowing Owl Speotyto cunicularia

A state endangered species, the burrowing owl is small (height of 9-11 inches, 23-29 cm), light brown, and has eyes with a bright lemon yellow iris. This species is distinctive among North American owls in several ways: it has long legs, a short tail, no ear tufts, and is active day and night. With the exception of one small population in Florida, the western prairies of Minnesota form the eastern edge of this species' range. In Minnesota, burrowing owls nest in abandoned burrows excavated mainly by American badgers and Richardson's ground squirrels. If disturbed, burrowing owls will bob up and down, and if approached too closely will dive into their burrows rather than fly away. They hunt by hopping on the ground or from perches, roadside fences, or the road itself. Many burrowing owls are killed on roads and by mammal and bird predators, especially great horned owls in Minnesota.