Burrowing owl chicks near Pawnee National Grassland in Colorado, USA

© Roberta Olenick/Alam

Owl be seeing you. Burrowing owls

There's a lot about burrowing owls that distinguish them from their wise cousins. Instead of sleeping in trees, they make their homes in the ground, often taking over tunnels abandoned by ground squirrels or prairie dogs. They're also one of the smallest owl species, measuring about 23cm. Unlike other birds, they ward off predators by making rattling and hissing sounds, like rattlesnakes. And these owls are most active during the daytime, when other owls are snoozing.

The burrowing owl has many neighbours here in the Pawnee National Grassland in the US state of Colorado. This internationally known birdwatching area is a perfect home for burrowing owls, which live in grasslands, deserts, or other open, dry areas with low vegetation.