The burrowing owl is the odd duck of the owl family. It is the only owl to live in underground burrows, residing in the abandoned burrows of prairie dog, badgers, or foxes. Unlike most owls, they make their homes in grasslands rather than forests, remain active during the day, and eat rodents, insects, fruits, and seeds.

This individualistic owl is uniquely adapted to its home on American's shortgrass prairies and the short-grass prairies of Central and South America. The burrowing owl is about the size of a robin and dun-colored to camouflage into the dry grasses. Their long, stilt-like legs help them to see over the prairie grasses and chase down their insect prey. The burrowing owl requires the deep soils of the short grass prairie and burrowing mammals that live there to excavate their tunnels. Burrowing owls are often found in close proximity to prairie dog colonies, and disruption of these colonies can negatively affect the burrowing owl. Adult burrowing owls protect their burrows through a series of head bobs and short barks to intimidate predators. Juveniles are known to make a rattlesnake-like buzz to warn predators away from the entrance to their burrows.

The burrowing owl is second only to the barn owl in economic importance for the multitude of insects and rodents that it eats around agricultural lands. Burrowing owls are tolerant of human activity and have been known to make their homes in cow pastures, fields surrounding airports, ranch and farm land, or in close proximity to highways. In addition, the owls provide food for other, larger raptors, foxes and coyotes.

Degradation of habitat and the decline of prairie dog species across the western United States are the primary threats to healthy burrowing owl populations. Urban sprawl, conversion of prairie to farmland, road collisions, and accidental deaths through pesticide programs aimed at other insect and mammalian pests take a tremendous toll. While some recognize the at-risk status of the owl, it has few formal protections.