Sunday Bird Blogging: Burrowing Owls

(Click on image for larger version)

We haven't taken any good photos of our birds lately -- gardening comes first at this time of year -- so instead here's a link to a webcam pointed at a colony of burrowing owls. The image refreshes once per minute. PNM, believe it or not, provides the webcam coverage of the owl colony, which resides at their Reeves Generating Station in the northern part of Albuquerque (sample above). Right now, many babies are present in the colony and are a hoot to watch (sorry). They seem to be most active during the cooler parts of the day. PNM works closely with New Mexico's Hawks Aloft, the terrific indigenous bird conservation group, on a number of bird protection and education programs. (Hat tip: Bridgett)

The photos below aren't from the webcam but they do give you a better idea of what the small owls look like. For more info on burrowing owls, including some audio files of their calls, click here.

According to The Nature Conservancy in New Mexico:

The burrowing owl can be found at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge -- the Conservancy’s first New Mexico conservation project. The burrowing owl is listed among the Conservancy’s Unlucky 13, grassland birds whose populations have dangerously declined in recent years. The burrowing owl is found throughout New Mexico at lower elevations, particularly areas with prairie dogs and other rodents that make burrows. Restoration of the owl hinges on sustaining burrowing mammal populations to provide adequate habitat.

“I've heard a rumor that burrowing owls are nesting in the end zone at New Mexico State University’s stadium in Las Cruces,” says Mehlman “The owls can still be found nesting around Albuquerque and they should be looked for in any existing prairie dog colony.”