But, similar to many other species of owls, they are mostly crepuscular hunters, as they can utilize their night vision and attuned hearing to maximum potential during sunrise and sunset.

Having evolved to live on open grasslands and prairie habitat (as well as badlands, chaparral and desert ecosystems), as opposed to dense forest, the burrowing owl has developed longer legs than other owls, a trait which enables it to sprint when pursuing its prey, not dissimilarly to the greater roadrunner, as well as providing momentum when taking flight; however, burrowing owls typically only become airborne for short bursts, such as when fleeing threats, and typically do not fly very high off of the ground.

The burrowing owl was formally described by Spanish naturalist Juan Ignacio Molina in 1782 under the binomial name Strix cunicularia from a specimen collected in Chile.

[6] The burrowing owl is now placed in the genus Athene which was introduced by German zoologist Friedrich Boie in 1822.

[7][8] The burrowing owl is sometimes classified in the monotypic genus Speotyto (based on an overall unique morphology and karyotype).

How these birds relate to the extant A. c. floridana – that is, whether they were among the ancestors of that subspecies, or whether they represented a more distant lineage that completely disappeared later – is unknown.

Burrowing owls have bright eyes; their beaks can be dark yellow or gray depending on the subspecies.

Adult males appear lighter in color than females because they spend more time outside the burrow during daylight, and their feathers become "sun-bleached".

[3][failed verification] Before European colonization, burrowing owls probably inhabited every suitable area of the New World, but in North America, they have experienced some restrictions in distribution since then.

In South America, they are fairly common, and are known to inhabit every country on the continent, with the exception of the dense Amazon rainforest interior and the highest ranges of the Andes Mountains.

South of the Amazon, their population seems to again rebound, as they are widely distributed from southern Brazil and the Pantanal down to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.

Birds that breed in Canada and the northern U.S. usually migrate south to Mexico and the southern U.S. during winter months.

Two birds studied in the Parque Nacional de La Macarena of Colombia were free of blood parasites.

The behavior is suggested to be an example of acoustic Batesian mimicry and has been observed to be an effective strategy against animals that are familiar with the dangers posed by rattlesnakes.

Burrowing owls are slightly tolerant of human presence, often nesting near roads, farms, homes, and regularly maintained irrigation canals.

[24] Rodent prey is usually dominated by locally superabundant species, like the delicate vesper mouse (Calomys tener) in southern Brazil.

Among squamates and amphibians, small lizards like the tropical house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia), snakes, frogs, and toads predominate.

The largest prey are usually birds, such as eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) which may weigh almost as much as a burrowing owl, as well as sparrows.

[25][23] Bothynus and Dichotomius anaglypticus scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) were eaten far more often than even closely related species by many burrowing owls across central São Paulo (Brazil).

Small ground beetles (Carabidae) are eaten in quantity, while larger ones are much less popular as burrowing owl food, perhaps due to the vigorous defense the large species can put up.

[1] Burrowing owls are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

[24] In March 2024, Center for Biological Diversity, Urban Bird Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife, Burrowing Owl Preservation Society, Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, Central Valley Bird Club and San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society submitted a California Endangered Species Act listing petition to the Fish and Game Commission to get protections for five populations of the western burrowing owl.

[35][36] The major reasons for declining populations in North America are loss of habitat, and control programs for prairie dogs.

[42] This is most common in agricultural areas, where burrows cause damage to existing crops, creating a problem for local farmers.

[51] Research has suggested that this species has made adaptations to the rapid urbanization of their usual habitat, and conservation efforts should be considered accordingly.

The preparations need to start several months prior to the anticipated disturbance with observing the owl colony and noting especially their local movements and site preferences.

Once the owls have accustomed to the changes and are found to be interested in the location – if possible, this should be at the onset of spring, before the breeding season starts – they are prevented from entering the old burrows.