Burrowing Owl Cuteness

Burrowing Owl Cuteness

I made it a goal this summer to photograph the burrowing owls and now I can check that goal off!  I went out on a morning hunt to find them earlier this week and was so happy to find 3 burrows close to one another.  Super exciting find!  One burrow had 5 owlets hanging out and the other had 2.  Adults were hanging nearby on taller plants.  Occasionally the adults would take off or grab an insect (their main diet) and bring it to the young.  That was great to witness and to know that I wasn’t bothering them being near a burrow. (The images are clickable and will allow you to view them larger and in focus.) [envira-gallery id=”10384″]  I used my car as a blind and literally lost track of time while keeping an eye on them.  Keep in mind these owls are little – 9-10″.  They are an uncommon owl of fields and rural roads, so finding them is the first challenge.  Unlike all other owl species in North America, the burrowing male is larger than the female.  Unfortunately, these owls have a declining population.  I sure hope they continue to thrive as they are so cute and full of personality.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching and photographing them.  Have you ever spotted a burrowing owl?