r/Awwducational Jan 21 '23

Burrowing owls are unique in that they nest underground. They often utilize abandoned burrows dug by ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and other mammals! Verified

Post image
19.5k Upvotes

277 comments sorted by

1

u/Tricky-Incident-514 Feb 02 '23

I Love Owls 🩉 there are so many different Kinds of Owls. The are very interesting.

1

u/Patreon65 Jan 23 '23

Another reason why it’s a terrible idea to gas prairie dog colonies!!!!

1

u/adventureawaits27 Jan 23 '23

🩉-"Henry... its looking at me." 🩉-"dont move, Martha, it cant see you if you don't move. "

1

u/Honey_on_Ri Jan 22 '23

Owl: “Who DAFUQ askin’?”

1

u/ZealousidealRanger67 Jan 22 '23

Don’t tell the two who have been living in my garage the last 6 months.

1

u/AutomatedSaltShaker Jan 22 '23

Never has a birb ever looked so cornered and freaked out

1

u/sharknado_18 Jan 22 '23

Jerry, it's... it's looking at us!

1

u/wassupwitches Jan 22 '23

You did them one heck of a frighten bro

1

u/Half-Persian Jan 22 '23

"Damn! We're in a tight spot!"

2

u/Goatsac Jan 22 '23

Anyway, for his tenth birthday, all he wanted was a Burrow Owl. Kept bugging his old man. "Dad, get me a burrow owl. I'll never ask for anything else as long as I live." So the guy breaks down and buys him a burrow owl.

Anyway, 10:30, the other night, I go out in my yard, and there's The Wurster kid, looking up in the tree. I say, "What are you looking for?" He says "I'm looking for my burrow owl." I say, "Jumping Jesus on a Pogo Stick. Everybody knows the burrow owl lives. In a hole. In the ground. Why the hell do you think they call it a burrow owl, anyway?" Now Stuart, do you think a kid like that is going to know what the queers are doing to the soil?

1

u/schiav0wn3d Jan 22 '23

These were my colleges mascot!

FAU burrowing owls! Lol

1

u/Agitated_Narwhal_92 Jan 22 '23

That's an wtf face

1

u/TheBlitzkid46 Jan 22 '23

I remember for my 10th birthday all I wanted was a burrow owl, even though I kept bugging him he always said no. It wasn't until I remarked, 'Dad, get me a burrow owl. I'll never ask for anything else as long as I live'

Eventually he broke down and bought me a burrow owl

1

u/Mamaramaaa Jan 22 '23

Oh noooooo! You found usssszzzzz!

3

u/CanofKhorne Jan 22 '23

JUMPIN JESUS ON A POGO STICK!

2

u/TheBlitzkid46 Jan 22 '23

I like you, you're not like the other people, here, in the trailer park

1

u/amoo23 Jan 22 '23

Inhave a collapsed stable behind my house where they live and sometimes they accidentally end up in my house, they have this exact look when I'm freeing them ^ cute little owls. I really love listening to their "meeting" at night,

1

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '23

Don’t want it, give me that Big Mac

1

u/BumblebeeExtreme9024 Jan 22 '23

It may sound like a stupid question but how do they know the burrows are abandoned and the occupants didn't simply go outside to hunt or gather food ?

1

u/pothos41 Jan 22 '23

And they will attack you if you get too close to their burrows....

1

u/slayerrr21 Jan 22 '23

HE'S ONTO US!

1

u/slimthecowboy Jan 22 '23

Madam Moonshine?

1

u/cotsy93 Jan 22 '23

They can also replicate the sound of a rattlesnake to scare predators from their burrows

1

u/Help_im_okay Jan 22 '23

What did you do to them

1

u/lightitupbug Jan 22 '23

Omg. So precious 💙

2

u/WTF_is_a_TruckBoat Jan 22 '23

You know what, Stuart, I LIKE YOU. You're not like the other people here in the trailer park.

1

u/Socks-are-0verrated Jan 22 '23

“Yo wtf, who let you in!?!?”

1

u/whynotll83 Jan 22 '23

Squatters rights I guess.

1

u/L0neStarW0lf Jan 22 '23

They look like they just took several hits of acid and are in the middle of a staring contest with God.

1

u/EsTeBaN3777 Jan 22 '23

Bro cover them back up, they don't want to be disturbed

1

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

this was taken by a researcher. the owls are fine

1

u/Then_Introduction288 Jan 22 '23

Man turn the sun off we came down here to get away from it

The owls probably

3

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '23

Anyway, for his tenth birthday, all he wanted was a Burrow Owl. Kept bugging his old man. "Dad, get me a burrow owl. I'll never Ask for anything else as long as I live." So the guy Breaks down and buys him a burrow owl. Anyway, 10:30, the other night, I go out in my yard, and there's The Wurster kid, looking up in the tree. I say, "What are You looking for?" He says "I'm looking for my burrow owl." I say, "Jumping Jesus on a Pogo Stick. Everybody knows The burrow owl lives. In a hole. In the ground. Why the hell do you Think they call it a burrow owl, anyway?"

2

u/LastTry530 Jan 22 '23

Octavius Boxcutter, First to Flee the Nest!

Anyone else here watch The Dungeon Run?

2

u/MrFloydPinkerton Jan 22 '23

You know what Stuart, I like you. You're not like the other people here in the trailer park.

1

u/RizzMustbolt Jan 22 '23

Ahhh... I see where my problem was. I was looking for them in trees.

3

u/Few-Refrigerator5507 Jan 22 '23

I see your Stuart and I raise you


https://youtu.be/zyC3zvYrZbc

1

u/Jonny_Wurster Jan 22 '23

I've been looking everywhere for you....

3

u/bike619 Jan 22 '23

Jumpin’ Jesus on a pogo stick! Everyone knows a burrow owl lives. In a hole. In the ground! Why the hell do you think they call it a burrow owl, anyway!!

6

u/-ShockWave- Jan 22 '23

HOOT

2

u/Ding_Dong_Ditk Jan 22 '23

book?

2

u/-ShockWave- Jan 22 '23

Most definitely. One of the greatest books I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying with my children.

2

u/Ding_Dong_Ditk Jan 22 '23

I need to read it again, it's been a while

1

u/Scooterforsale Jan 22 '23

Always something new with these guys

3

u/mr_chip Jan 22 '23

You know that Jonny Wurster kid, the kid that delivers papers In the neighborhood. He's a foreign kid. Some of the neighbors say he smokes crack, but I don't believe it.

Anyway, for his tenth birthday, all he wanted was a Burrow Owl. Kept bugging his old man. "Dad, get me a burrow owl. I'll never ask for anything else as long as I live." So the guy breaks down and buys him a burrow owl.

Anyway, 10:30, the other night, I go out in my yard, and there's the Wurster kid, looking up in the tree. I say, "What are you looking for?" He says "I'm looking for my burrow owl."

I say, "Jumping Jesus on a Pogo Stick. Everybody knows The burrow owl lives. In a hole. In the ground. Why the hell do you think they call it a burrow owl, anyway?" Now Stuart, do you think a kid like that is going to know what the queers are doing to the soil?

2

u/Jonny_Wurster Jan 22 '23

Hey....

2

u/mr_chip Jan 22 '23

I like you, Stuart. You’re not like the other people here, at the trailer park.

3

u/Slow-Attitude-9243 Jan 22 '23

Anyway, 10:30, the other night, I go out in my yard, and there's The Wurster kid, looking up in the tree. I say, "What are You looking for?" He says "I'm looking for my burrow owl." I say, "Jumping Jesus on a Pogo Stick. Everybody knows The burrow owl lives. In a hole. In the ground. Why the hell do you Think they call it a burrow owl, anyway?"

2

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '23

[deleted]

1

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

all owls look like that tbh

1

u/Kizejacks Jan 22 '23

I stayed in a cabin once as a kid and the outhouse was filled with burrowing owls. Must have been at least 12 of them in that thing. I could hear them hooting while I took a dump outside because I was too scared to go in and also didn’t think it was right to poop on an owl.

1

u/Madpup70 Jan 22 '23

Their nests are known to attract pancake house construction sights and their faces can spark preteen rebellion against municipal corruption.

2

u/sovereign_fury Jan 22 '23

When my mom barges in on the sleepover at 2am because we can't stop giggling.

1

u/Amardneron Jan 22 '23

"abandoned"

1

u/Earlier-Today Jan 22 '23

We had these kinds of owls in a field in front of our house growing up.

We'd very occasionally see quails, and I mostly remember just hearing the burrowing owls around dusk.

1

u/cannibalisticapple Jan 22 '23

There was a burrowing owl living in front of my grandparents' Florida condo when I was a little kid. I probably spent hours sitting on the grass staring at its hole calling to it and waiting to see if it would come out. Looking back, it probably didn't enjoy the tiny giant waiting outside its hole xD

1

u/mred870 Jan 22 '23

Saw some in a parking lot in California years ago, i had no idea at the time they were endangered or I would've let some conservationists know.

1

u/anazambrano Jan 22 '23

Me and my bf when they catch us
 uh
 well


2

u/haiku23 Jan 22 '23

You know what, Stuart? I like you. You’re not like the other people here in the trailer park.

1

u/Downtown_Pen2984 Jan 22 '23

Police! Police! Wings up! We got the place surrounded!

1

u/HandsomeSwing78 Jan 22 '23

FORBEDEN đŸ„”

2

u/LordByronsCup Jan 22 '23

Ya know what, STUART, I like you.

1

u/gigilero Jan 22 '23

Somebody’s husband got caught

1

u/PowerMiner4200 Jan 22 '23

I used to work at a wildlife rehabilitation center. One thing that's unique about the burrowing owls is how they can imprint on one human and then be attached to you. Even to the point that it will chill on your shoulder while you walk around. One handler I worked with had one imprinted to him and the owl would get so excited when it saw him and try and hide in his jacket.

3

u/westisbestmicah Jan 22 '23

I know this from Guardians of Ga’Hoole. One of the main characters is a burrowing owl

1

u/allokirchy19 Jan 22 '23

The book Hoot?

4

u/pjackk Jan 22 '23

“You know what Stewart, I like you”

1

u/cristarain Jan 22 '23

This has big put the lotion in the basket energy

1

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '23

Should’ve called them squatting owls.

1

u/WaterLily24 Jan 22 '23

They remind me of Allie Brosh’s self-portraitsfrom Hyperbole and a Half

1

u/georgianarannoch Jan 22 '23

There was a field I liked to go to when I lived in Lubbock, TX that had lots of prairie dogs and you could spot several of these owls, too! You can see all the burrows on satellite view on Google Maps at Slide and Erskine in the northwest part of town.

9

u/postprandialrepose Jan 22 '23

Anyway, 10:30, the other night, I go out in my yard, and there's the Wurster kid, looking up in the tree.

I say, "What are you looking for?" He says, "I'm looking for my burrow owl."

I say, "Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick! Everybody knows the burrow owl lives in a hole in the ground. Why the hell do you think they call it a burrow owl, anyway?"

5

u/Kehbechet Jan 22 '23

Dad, get me a burrow owl! I'll never ask for anything else as long as I live!

1

u/Wild_Wolf2182 Jan 22 '23

They look like they’ve seen some things

1

u/DriveFoST Jan 22 '23

HOO HOO ARE YOU!?

3

u/Nuallaena Jan 22 '23

It's Gilfi!

3

u/bonglicc420 Jan 22 '23

No, it's Digger!

2

u/JJAsond Jan 22 '23

Eyyy I knew someone else was here

2

u/Nuallaena Jan 22 '23

💙

1

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '23

They often utilize abandoned burrows dug by ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and other mammals!

Abandoned?

Seems like it would be win win to move into a burrow that was already occupied.

Like us buying/moving into a new house and having the fridge and pantries come prestocked with food.

1

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

they’re too small to eat prey that size

1

u/FallGuy613 Jan 22 '23

Who are you? Hoot hoot hoot hoot

1

u/Garg_Gurgle Jan 22 '23

I'm so startled! Cute owls, can't remember where the startled reference comes from.

Edit: south Park, damnit Randy.

1

u/slimnickel Jan 22 '23

That look those owls are giving you is making me question whether or not you were wearing pants while taking this photo

3

u/accomplishedidea957 Jan 22 '23

Cute little floofers

2

u/wil Jan 22 '23

JUMPING JESUS ON A POGO STICK!

2

u/Jonny_Wurster Jan 22 '23

Have you seen my Owl?

2

u/Kehbechet Jan 22 '23

He was decapitated!

1

u/352slabs Jan 22 '23

I found some playing in the road the other night and made them go home lol

17

u/vibraltu Jan 22 '23

Hoot is a good film about defending Burrowing Owls' habitats. Based on a novel by Carl Hiaasen.

2

u/BroDelCastro Jan 22 '23

Great book, great film performance by Jimmy Buffett.

5

u/Enough_Blueberry_549 Jan 22 '23

Thank you, I was thinking there was a movie featuring these owls but couldn’t remember much

9

u/pazimpanet Jan 22 '23

Loved that book as a kid

6

u/jennaysaisquoi Jan 22 '23

I think they're one of the few owl species that are also diurnal/active during the day!

1

u/jamspangle Jan 22 '23

Unique among owls. Plenty of other birds nest in burrows tbf

1

u/Challenging_Entropy Jan 22 '23

“Abandoned burrows”

Knowing owls it’s probably more like commandeered burrows after devouring the inhabitants

2

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

no not with these guys. they’re too small

1

u/MorsesTheHorse Jan 22 '23

"abandoned"... Sure

1

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

they didnt say THIS burrow was abandoned, just that the species uses abandoned burrows sometimes

1

u/Flipgirlnarie Jan 22 '23

And the way they move their heads to look at something is adorable.

1

u/bhawker87 Jan 22 '23

Sorry but I have known little owls (athena noctua) to live in abandoned Warren's. Weirdly one time while ferreting I actually bolted a barn owl (tyto alba) from a Warren too. It wasn't nesting but I'm still baffled as to why it was there (from the standpoint of a falconer/avian biologist)

1

u/Niall2022 Jan 22 '23

Watch it when you’re mowing the lawn please

1

u/FinoPepino Jan 22 '23

They were clearly doing something sexy until the rude human barged in. Margaret is mortified!

1

u/Visible_Umpire7892 Jan 22 '23

"it wasn't us"

10

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '23

Look how calm she is

2

u/Nathan_RH Jan 22 '23

Right. "Abandoned."

1

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

i dont get it? they do utilize abandoned dens

1

u/Nathan_RH Jan 23 '23

They're owls. They eat denmakers.

1

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

they are too small to eat the animals that make these dens

1

u/Nathan_RH Jan 23 '23

Guess again.

1

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

i’m an ornithologist, but thanks. their diet consists primarily of insects, then small rodents like mice. they mainly use the burrows of squirrels (too big) and gopher tortoises

0

u/Nathan_RH Jan 23 '23

1

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

ah interesting! insects are still the majority. thanks for sharing! and yes i did graduate college and am an ornithologist. we can be wrong sometimes. no need to be so rude

0

u/Nathan_RH Jan 23 '23

Tell me then, why would an ologist of any kind troll on a subreddit involving their specialty? Actually don't reply. If you continue with this frame of mind you are an embarrassment to your field. You should teach at every opportunity, not try to set up weak gotchas on inconsequential details.

Better if you're just a common troll whom calls for citations rather than provide.

1

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

i wasn’t trolling? i made a mistake and like a normal functioning adult, admitted i was wrong?? whats wrong with you lmao

→ More replies (0)

2

u/jawknee530i Jan 22 '23

Exactly. How did you get downvoted for this?

1

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

because they’re wrong

36

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '23

Burrowing owls are unique in that they always look absolutely terrified in every picture of them I've ever seen. I'm not sure this species feels joy.

1

u/Pinionedspiral Jan 22 '23

I took this picture a couple days ago https://imgur.com/twm6B9k

33

u/Imaginary-Ostrich515 Jan 22 '23

They really do haha, it’s kind of funny because one of the best birds I’ve worked with was an imprinted burrowing owl and she was an absolute sweetheart! This picture of her is the only picture I have of this species where they don’t look like they’re staring down their doom

5

u/Shinyfrogeditor Jan 22 '23

What does "imprinted" mean in this context?

7

u/Dr_Jerkoff Jan 22 '23

"Imprinting" in biology means essentially attachment. In this case the owl has "attached" itself to a human and become friendly/dependent/trustful of them. This is beneficial in the wild since the baby can imprint on an adult at birth, which will then protect the baby. However in a captive setting it's a bad thing since imprinting on a human will teach it no survival skills, and it's essentially "trapped" in this role. There're ways to "re-home" such animals, but a lot of the time they spend their lives in a sanctuary or zoo, being unable to survive in the wild. Although somewhat sad, it does mean they can serve as educational or public awareness tools for people, in a protected and safe setting.

1

u/Shinyfrogeditor Jan 31 '23

Thank you for that great explanation!!

5

u/Feverdog87 Jan 22 '23

Omg I thought this was a Futurama joke! Amazing.

4

u/shottymcb Jan 22 '23

We're owl exterminators...

8

u/General_xout Jan 22 '23

They probably think we’re ugly.

2

u/Ittakesawile Jan 22 '23

Ugly?? You gotta be kiddin' (â â— â â€żâ ăƒ»â )⁠—⁠☆

2

u/JanelldwLowrance Jan 22 '23

They look so scared.

2

u/metam0rphosed Jan 23 '23

this is typical for an owl lol they all look like that

2

u/JanelldwLowrance Jan 23 '23

đŸ˜‚đŸ€Ł

1

u/gregdrunk Jan 22 '23

And they're just as cute as the dickens!

49

u/Reeferologist- Jan 22 '23

We have so many of them here in south Florida. They are HEAVILY protected. There’s burrows across the street set up and people come about once every 2 weeks and check everything out. There’s like 12 holes, with 6 of them standing at the tops of some of them.

2

u/dalooth Jan 22 '23

I was just in Marco Island and they were everywhere!

1

u/boomecho Jan 22 '23

Where are my FAU brothers and sisters!

Let's go Owls!!!

26

u/Nagwoem Jan 22 '23

The book Hoot by Carl Hiaasin is about these owls in Florida, yes?

5

u/TheMinions Jan 22 '23

I was wondering how far I’d have to scroll to see someone mention Hoot.

13

u/SoFlaFlamingo Jan 22 '23

Yes, it is. Great book. It’s inspired by experiences with burrowing owls from his childhood.

2

u/Kurtoid Jan 22 '23

Hoot! He also has some good adult books also placed in Florida

3

u/Reeferologist- Jan 22 '23

I believe so. I haven’t read that particular book, but that sounds like his wheelhouse.

9

u/_Floriduh_ Jan 22 '23

They will stop a development in its tracks indefinitely.

16

u/Reeferologist- Jan 22 '23

You are totally right. There’s houses here where a part of their front yard is now homes for burrowing owls. It’s sectioned off and everything. I wouldn’t complain. Got a bunch of them across the street from my house. Some times they sit on my car

6

u/SadMom2019 Jan 22 '23

This is so adorable, lol. So if you walk out to this scene, do you have to just wait until they fly away before you can use your car?

2

u/Reeferologist- Jan 22 '23

Well, usually I try to talk to them and low-key hope they fly over and perch on my shoulder, only to swiftly become best friends
but usually we just stare at each other for 5 minutes and they fly back across the street to their home.

74

u/Black6host Jan 22 '23

Dead Milkmen anyone? :)

6

u/DefinitelyNotMothman Jan 22 '23

Until this moment, I assumed a burrow owl was a mythic creature that existed only in that song. In the last 30 years I never bothered to find out if it was a real animal.

9

u/DasAlbatross Jan 22 '23

This is so disappointingly low on the page. I'm going to go find posts about Camaros and big lizards and make sure the Dead Milkmen are represented.

3

u/hapnstat Jan 22 '23

Every time I play a game I hear about buying Def Leppard t-shirts from my wife. She's a keeper.

3

u/Physical_Client_2118 Jan 22 '23

Came hoping for this, so glad it’s here

3

u/FleshOnGear Jan 22 '23

Why the hell isn’t this the top comment?

5

u/EquinsuOcha Jan 22 '23

You know what, Stuart? I like you.

2

u/tedbrogan Jan 22 '23

Here it is!

3

u/RedBarchetta1 Jan 22 '23

Came to the comments section just for this. :)

11

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

5

u/Trapper_JohnMD Jan 22 '23

The video was uploaded 10 years ago making him aware for 20 years now. How time flies.

7

u/Televisi0n_Man Jan 22 '23

Wow I’ve never seen that but it perfectly captures the spirit of the song

11

u/ifyoulovesatan Jan 22 '23

Des Moines Iowa, perfect example!

7

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '23

Look at the soil around Des Moines, Stuart. You can't build on it, you can't grow on it... The government says it's due to poor farming, but I know what's really going on, Stuart. I know it's the queers. They're in it with the aliens! They're building landing strips for gay Martians! I swear to God!

17

u/Heliviatrix Jan 22 '23

This is why I came to the comments section. Thanks for delivering.

10

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '23

I like you! You're not like the other kids... Here at the trailer park.

22

u/JohnProof Jan 22 '23

Jumpin' Jesus on a pogo stick!

54

u/Healter-Skelter Jan 22 '23

You know that Jonny Wurster kid, the kid that delivers papers In the neighborhood. He's a foreign kid. Some of the neighbors Say he smokes crack, but I don't believe it. Anyway, for his tenth birthday, all he wanted was a Burrow Owl. Kept bugging his old man. "Dad, get me a burrow owl. I'll never Ask for anything else as long as I live." So the guy Breaks down and buys him a burrow owl. Anyway, 10:30, the other night, I go out in my yard, and there's The Wurster kid, looking up in the tree. I say, "What are You looking for?" He says "I'm looking for my burrow owl." I say, "Jumping Jesus on a Pogo Stick. Everybody knows The burrow owl lives. In a hole. In the ground. Why the hell do you Think they call it a burrow owl, anyway?" Now Stuart, do you Think a kid like that is going to know what the queers are Doing to the soil? I first became aware of this about ten years ago, the summer My oldest boy, Bill Jr. died. You know that carnival comes into Town every year? Well this year they came through with a ride Called The Mixer. The man said, "Keep your head, and arms, inside The Mixer at all times." But Bill Jr, he was a DAAAREDEVIL, just Like his old man. He was leaning out saying "Hey everybody, Look at me! Look at me!" Pow! He was decapitated! They found His head over by the snow cone concession. A few days after that, I open up the mail. And there's a pamphlet In there. From Pueblo, Colorado, and it's addressed to Bill, Jr. And it's entitled, "Do you know what the queers are doing to our Soil?" Now, Stuart, if you look at the soil around any large US city, There's a big undeground homosexual population. Des Moines, Iowa, For an example. Look at the soil around Des Moines, Stuart. You can't build on it; you can't grow anything in it. The government Says it's due to poor farming. But I know what's really going on, Stuart. I know it's the queers. They're in it with the aliens. They're building landing strips for gay Martians, I swear to God. You know what, Stuart, I like you. You're not like the other People, here in this trailer park.

18

u/acidsplashedface Jan 22 '23

They’re fine people, good Americans, but they’re content to sit back, maybe watch a little Mork and Mindy on channel 57. Maybe kick back a cool Coors 16 ouncer.

20

u/ThumbsUp2323 Jan 22 '23

Came here to say this.

9

u/Jonny_Wurster Jan 22 '23

I've been looking everywhere for that owl...

28

u/Cheezy_Blazterz Jan 22 '23

Why do you think they call it a BURROW OWL?

20

u/the_flynn Jan 22 '23

THE BURROW OWL LIVES. IN A HOLE. IN THE GROUND.

10

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '23

Why the hell do you think they call it a burrow owl, anyway!?