ATHENE CUNICULARIA

Burrowing Owl Photography

Burrowing Owls are a species I had wanted to photograph for a long time. Their small size and character remind me somewhat of the Little Owls we have in the UK, but their habit of living on the ground in burrows — and often gathering together as family groups when the young are growing up — makes them particularly fascinating to watch.

I finally had the opportunity to photograph them during some free time on a business trip to Las Vegas. With the help of a local wildlife guide, I visited several sites and was able to spend time watching a number of different families.

One location was an abandoned housing plot that had been turned into a small sanctuary for the owls, with at least three families living in man-made burrows. Perhaps even more remarkable was a family at a local recreational park that had made its home beneath the pavement alongside a busy four-lane road. The birds appeared completely unfazed by the constant traffic and people occasionally walking just metres from their burrow.

Unlike many owl species, Burrowing Owls spend much of their time on the ground and can be active during daylight, providing opportunities to watch the interaction between adults and young as well as their individual behaviour.

The gallery below brings together some of my favourite Burrowing Owl images from Nevada, all photographed ethically and without baiting.