Burrowing Owl

Ive always wanted to photograph Burrowing Owls; they remind me a lot of the Little Owls we get in the UK but I love the way they hang out in groups when the chicks are growing up.  I was able to get an opportunity to see some on a business trip to Las Vegas during a little free time.  Thanks to a local wildlife guide he was able to take me to several sites.

One being an abandoned housing plot that had been turned into a little sanctuary for these owls and there was at least 3 families we saw living in man made burrows on the site.  We also visited a local recreational park and along the side of a busy 4 lane road was a family living under the sidewalk.  An amazing thing to see in plain sight completely unphased by all the cars driving past and the occasional person on foot walking right past their front door.

The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is a small, long-legged owl found across the open landscapes of North and South America. Unlike most owls, burrowing owls are often active during the day, particularly at dawn and dusk. They nest and roost in burrows, often those abandoned by prairie dogs or other burrowing animals. These owls have a varied diet that includes insects, small mammals, and reptiles. Adapted to life on the ground, they have longer legs that allow them to sprint as well as fly when hunting. Burrowing owls are known for their distinctive white eyebrows and throat, yellow eyes, and mottled brown and white plumage. They thrive in grasslands, deserts, and agricultural areas with low vegetation.