Wildwatch Burrowing Owl

The western burrowing owl needs our help. Unusual among owl species, this pint-sized raptor lives in elaborate underground burrows. These owls cannot dig their own burrows, and instead “reuse” excavated dens dug by ground squirrels and other fossorial (burrowing) animals. With its penchant for open, native grasslands, the burrowing owl has been on a collision course with humans throughout much of Southern California. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is determined to help reverse the owl’s decline with effective, science-based solutions. Our Burrowing Owl Recovery Program takes a multi-prong, multiple-partner approach to better understand the ecology of these birds in San Diego County, which will help guide best conservation practices moving forward.

Wildwatch Burrowing Owl seeks to document the behaviors and developmental milestones of burrowing owl families “holed up” in Otay Mesa, CA. Motion-activated cameras are strategically positioned at burrow entrances to collect candid data.

We need your help classifying the images! Your efforts will give researchers a clearer understanding of burrowing owl ecology and behavior, as well as visitors (and predators) to the burrows. The information gathered will help land managers balance land use (development) and wildlife conservation.