Vegetation and Soils of Burrowing Owl Nest Sites in Conata Basin, South Dakota

Correlations between Burrowing Owl and Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Declines: A 7-Year Analysis

“…Fish and Wildlife Service concluded listing was warranted but precluded due to other listing priorities (National Wildlife Federation 2000). Although several studies have explored the association of burrowing owls with black-tailed prairie dog colonies (Butts 1973, MacCracken et al 1985, Plumpton 1992, Hughes 1993, Pezzolesi 1994, little is known of the importance of prairie dogs to burrowing owls other than the fact that their burrows serve as nesting locations. The only available information on longterm trends for burrowing owls is the Breeding Bird Survey, which is of questionable value for monitoring raptor populations (Holroyd and Wellicome 1997).…”

North American owls: biology and natural history

“…The distribution and abundance of burrowing rodents are thus central to the species's ecology, providing not only nest sites, but perches, sites for food storage, escape from enemies, and ameliorated temperature changes during both extreme cold and hot conditions (Coulombe, 1971;Thomsen, 1971). MacCracken, Uresk, and Hansen (1985) reported that in South Dakota the birds select sites that are in early stages of grassland succession, offering an abundance of annual forbs and relatively low average vegetation height and thus providing hiding sites for young owls while not obscuring the owls' vision. Low vegetation around the nesting site may also increase hunting efficiency.…”

Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Burrowing Owl

“…Burrowing Owls in central Wyoming selected burrows surrounded by early-successional plant communities (Thompson 1984). In southwestern South Dakota, Burrowing Owls used abandoned black-tailed prairie dog burrows surrounded by a high percentage of bare ground, low shrub coverage, and shorter vegetation than that in the rest of the colony (MacCracken et al 1985a).…”

“…Black-tailed prairie dog colonies in Oklahoma became unsuitable for Burrowing Owls within 1-3 yr after abandonment by prairie dogs due to the encroachment of dense vegetation (Butts 1973). Additionally, burrows may require structural maintenance by prairie dogs to remain suitable for owls (MacCracken et al 1985a, Desmond 1991, Desmond and Savidge 1999. All nesting attempts in northcentral Colorado occurred in active black-tailed prairie dog colonies (Pezzolesi 1994).…”

“…They use well-drained, level to gently sloping areas characterized by sparse vegetation and bare ground such as moderately or heavily grazed pasture (Salt and Wilk 1958;Bent 1961;Grant 1963Grant , 1965James and Seabloom 1968;Stewart 1975;Wedgwood 1976;Haug 1985;MacCracken et al 1985a;Haug and Oliphant 1987;Stockrahm 1995). Burrowing Owls breed in native prairie (Bent 1961, Butts 1973, Wedgwood 1976, Konrad and Gilmer 1984, Faanes and Lingle 1995, Clayton and Schmutz 1999, as well as in tame pasture, hayland, fallow fields, road and railway rights-of-way, and in a number of urban habitats (Scott 1940, Bue 1955, Hall 1961, Richards 1972, Butts 1973, Zarn 1974, Konrad and Gilmer 1984, Haug 1985, Haug and Oliphant 1987, James et al 1990, Haug et al 1993.…”