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Juvenile Burrowing Owls
Athene cunicularia
36.3006, -115.246
Field Notes
Description:
As in the photos...this is a smaller-sized owl, with long legs, who live in burrows dug by other animals including prairie dogs and desert tortoises.
The adult sides and back are brown spotted, as in the 3rd photo above.
Habitat:
The owls in this spotting are living in burrows in north Las Vegas. The burrows are in a protected area in an orchard, surrounded by housing developments. There are a combination of artificial and natural burrows in the area. Some owls in this area are part-time residents...migrating to S. Nevada from Mexico.
Notes:
We have been working with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, as well as researchers from the University of Idaho to monitor owl burrows in southern Nevada to determine their success in hatching and raising the young chicks. There is concern that owl populations in this area are decreasing, and we are attempting to measure the reproduction rate. This is one of a series of postings I have done on burrowing owls in Arizona and Nevada. The chicks pictured in the first two photos range in age from 18 to 22 weeks old. The clutch in this burrow has so far produced 7 young owls. They are currently in process of exploring outside their burrow and learning how to hunt, fly and prepare to carry on in a big world (as well as generally just look cute). Mom and Dad, third photo, are pretty busy training and keeping them fed...and in a few months will be looking forward to a well-earned vacation.
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