By: Cori Carlson, Administrative Coordinator

Burrowing Owls, as their name implies, mostly live in underground burrows dug by other animals such as ground squirrels or gophers. These small brown and white owls have long legs and yellow eyes. While CWC has admitted eighty owls so far this year, only two have been Burrowing Owls.

In mid-October, a finder brought in an injured Burrowing Owl who was suffering from head trauma. When initially admitted, the owl was lethargic, unresponsive to visual stimuli, moderately dehydrated and had a poor appetite. After three days with fluids, anti-inflammatories and pain medication, the patient began to appear brighter, perching and eating on their own. When the hospital staff performed additional tests, they found the owl was experiencing temporary blindness as a result of the head trauma. Over the next week, the patient’s condition improved with medication and cage rest.

While most owl species hunt at night, the Burrowing Owl hunts during the day and night. They live in open areas with minimal vegetation and are most often found on the ground or on low branches where they do most of their hunting.  Their diet includes insects, lizards, small birds and rodents.

After 12 days in care, the patient was moved to an outdoor enclosure and immediately flew to the highest perch. The owl then flew a few laps around the enclosure. This remarkable Burrowing Owl will continue to be monitored outside for about two weeks while they strengthen their flight muscles before returning to the wild.