Farmers seeding their fields this spring should be on the lookout for small burrowing owls.
The endangered birds return from their winter homes in southern Texas and Mexico in late April and early May. They settle mainly in southern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta.
Andrea Kotylak, habitat stewardship co-ordinator at Nature Saskatchewan, said May 6 that a handful of birds, perhaps 10, had been spotted so far.
Burrowing owls traditionally nest in grassland but have adapted to cultivated land. They are the only owls that nest in the ground, using abandoned badger and gopher burrows.
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Kotylak said farmers should be aware that the owls are there so that they don’t inadvertently destroy their nests or kill the tiny birds.
“As you’re seeding you’ll usually see them flying in front of you,” she said.
They then duck into their burrows.
Owl scat and pellets at the opening of a burrow are other signs the owls have taken up residence in a field. They can also be spotted sitting atop their burrows or on fence posts.
Kotylak said the males usually migrate ahead of the females and pick a nest. They are particular about where they want to live, she added.
The males then attract their mates by catching “a whole bunch of mice” and displaying them to show off their hunting prowess.
A family of burrowing owls can eat 10 rodents and 40 grasshoppers a day.
The burrowing owl population declined rapidly between 1988 and 1994 – about 20 percent a year.
Since then, the rate of decline has improved to about six percent a year.
In 2007, 35 landowners reported 57 pairs at 41 sites to Operation Burrowing Owl, which has tracked the owls’ population in Saskatchewan for 20 years. In 2006, participants reported 64 pairs at 63 sites.
Nature Saskatchewan says 500 to 800 pairs breed in Canada, half of them in Saskatchewan.
The population decline is attributed to habitat loss, pesticide use and food availability.
Nature Saskatchewan offers financial assistance to landowners who want to convert cultivated land to perennial pasture to improve habitat for burrowing owls and loggerhead shrikes, another endangered species.
Kotylak said cattle producers shouldn’t be worried about having burrowing owls on their pastures. Grazing keeps grass short and allows owls to watch for predators.
Burrowing owls are about 23 centimetres tall. They have mottled brown and white feathers, bushy white eyebrows, large yellow eyes and long, featherless legs.
Kotylak said landowners shouldn’t hesitate to report a sighting. Organizations such as Nature Saskatchewan can’t restrict land use or grazing.
“We’re just trying to get an idea of the population.”
To report a sighting, call 800-667-HOOT (4668).
