The Story
I photographed this Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) at Hacienda La Cabaña, near Tauramena, Casanare, Colombia, in January 2020. Unlike most owls, it is often active by day, though it avoids the heat of midday and hunts mostly at dawn and dusk. It often lines its nest with mammal dung, usually from cattle, which researchers think helps control the burrow’s climate and attracts insects. Its long legs let it sprint after prey on the ground. It is a small, long-legged owl of open country such as grassland, ranchland and farmland. IUCN lists it as Least Concern, with a stable population.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/2000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800. It is fairly tolerant of people and often nests near roads, farms and homes.
©2020 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) belongs to the family Strigidae (Owls) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2025), with the population trend listed as stable. Source: IUCN Red List