Burrowing Owl
Athene cunicularia
The Burrowing Owl is unusual for an owl, and indeed for most birds, in that it spends most of its time on the ground with considerable time underground in its nest. The latter is often one originally constructed by a land mammal like a ground squirrel or prairie dog, then taken over by the Burrowing Owl. Like these mammals, the Burrowing Owl prefers open grassland as its habitat. While it used to be abundant in California, its population has declined markedly due to loss of habitat and it is now a California Species of Special Concern. In the east bay of the San Francisco Bay Area, I have seen them at Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley, in the grassy area of the Albany Bulb now part of McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, in the open fields of Livermore and at Vargas Plateau Regional Park. This Owl is also diurnal, making it somewhat easier to see than the more common nocturnal owl species. However it is also easy to miss because it camouflages itself so well with the dirt and rocks of the grasslands--unless you catch it walking upright or sitting on a post. The Burrowing Owl in the photograph was observed at Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley, CA on November 16, 2021.