Burrowing Owls
Scientific name, Athene cunicularia
10 physical variations between the species of burrowing owls
-Color of feathers (very slight) -Continuous, there are millions of different shades of color
-Spots size -Continuous, the size of spots can be very, very, small or take up most of the bird
-Talon length -Continuous, depends on how mush the talons have been scraped on the ground
-Eye colour -Continuous, there are millions of different shades of colour
-Height -Continuous, there is millions of heights (in the decimals)
-Weight -Continuous, depends on how much they eat
-Puffiness -Continuous, depends on the amount of feathers
-Beak sharpness -Continuous, depends on how much uses it
-Eye brow size -Continuous, millions of different sizes and colours
-Wingspan -Continuous, there is millions of wing lenghts (in the decimals)
2 structural adaptations
-Hollow bones, they make the bird lighter so they can fly. Since they can fly they can get to prey quicker. And since the bird can fly the bird can get away from larger pretators on the ground
-Feathers, they make the bird more aerodynamic. The more aerodynamic the bird the faster it can fly. The faster the bird can fly the fast the bird can get its food
-Spots size -Continuous, the size of spots can be very, very, small or take up most of the bird
-Talon length -Continuous, depends on how mush the talons have been scraped on the ground
-Eye colour -Continuous, there are millions of different shades of colour
-Height -Continuous, there is millions of heights (in the decimals)
-Weight -Continuous, depends on how much they eat
-Puffiness -Continuous, depends on the amount of feathers
-Beak sharpness -Continuous, depends on how much uses it
-Eye brow size -Continuous, millions of different sizes and colours
-Wingspan -Continuous, there is millions of wing lenghts (in the decimals)
2 structural adaptations
-Hollow bones, they make the bird lighter so they can fly. Since they can fly they can get to prey quicker. And since the bird can fly the bird can get away from larger pretators on the ground
-Feathers, they make the bird more aerodynamic. The more aerodynamic the bird the faster it can fly. The faster the bird can fly the fast the bird can get its food
Behavioural adaptation
-taking already used burrows, this makes it successful because the bird is not the biggest bird in the sky. It allows the bird to hide from larger predators. It gives protection for the bird. It give a place to store food. It gives a place for the birds to give birth safely.
Niche
- They live in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural area, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation.
-The burrowing owl can’t dig their own holes so they have to live in an area with a burrowing animal, (that is why the name is so deceptive), such as ground squirrels and badgers.
-The burrowing owls diet mainly consists of insects, but it will also eat small animals, small birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, and the occasional scorpion
-The burrowing owl has a broad niche and is a generalist.
-taking already used burrows, this makes it successful because the bird is not the biggest bird in the sky. It allows the bird to hide from larger predators. It gives protection for the bird. It give a place to store food. It gives a place for the birds to give birth safely.
Niche
- They live in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural area, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation.
-The burrowing owl can’t dig their own holes so they have to live in an area with a burrowing animal, (that is why the name is so deceptive), such as ground squirrels and badgers.
-The burrowing owls diet mainly consists of insects, but it will also eat small animals, small birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, and the occasional scorpion
-The burrowing owl has a broad niche and is a generalist.
Definitions
-Extirpated: A species has become extinct in one area at least but still exists in other area(s)
-Endangered: A species whose numbers are so small it is at risk of becoming extinct or extirpated if extensive measures to protect it are not undertaken
-Threatened: A species that is likely to become endangered if not protected in some way
-Special Concern: A species not endangered or threatened but
extremely uncommon or has unique or highly specific habitat
requirements
The burrowing owl is an endangered animal, because of human impact
Human impact
-The burrowing owl are threatened due to pesticides killing the burrowing owls food. With no food the bird dies. With no bird there can be no babies
-Pesticides poisoning the adult birds. No adults where will be not mate for other birds. No more birds.
-People killing the animals that the burrowing owls, need to make burrows for their homes. With no home the owl will have to live on the top of the ground. With no protection pretators will kill it.
Reasons the zoo decreses biodiversity
-Building the zoo in top of a plane where burrowing owls live. Using pesticide on the grass at the zoo, which would kill the burrrowing owls. The zoo producing harmful gases to keep the zoo warm piosoning the birds.
What’s being done by the Zoo (conservation stategies)
-In 2004, researchers at the Centre for Conservation Research (CCR) began working with the National Burrowing Owl Recovery Team to help improve the survival and return rate of burrowing owls released back into the wild
-Some researchers examined and compared the characteristics of natural and artificial burrows in order to determine which types of nest site characteristics (location, orientation, slope, aspect, etc.) were more attractive to the owls. Conservation researchers can construct artificial burrows quickly, but it is not always certain that these burrows will be used by the owls. A greater understanding of burrowing owl nest site preferences will help researchers install artificial burrows in what the owls consider desirable areas and increase artificial burrow use
Human impact
-The burrowing owl are threatened due to pesticides killing the burrowing owls food. With no food the bird dies. With no bird there can be no babies
-Pesticides poisoning the adult birds. No adults where will be not mate for other birds. No more birds.
-People killing the animals that the burrowing owls, need to make burrows for their homes. With no home the owl will have to live on the top of the ground. With no protection pretators will kill it.
Reasons the zoo decreses biodiversity
-Building the zoo in top of a plane where burrowing owls live. Using pesticide on the grass at the zoo, which would kill the burrrowing owls. The zoo producing harmful gases to keep the zoo warm piosoning the birds.
What’s being done by the Zoo (conservation stategies)
-In 2004, researchers at the Centre for Conservation Research (CCR) began working with the National Burrowing Owl Recovery Team to help improve the survival and return rate of burrowing owls released back into the wild
-Some researchers examined and compared the characteristics of natural and artificial burrows in order to determine which types of nest site characteristics (location, orientation, slope, aspect, etc.) were more attractive to the owls. Conservation researchers can construct artificial burrows quickly, but it is not always certain that these burrows will be used by the owls. A greater understanding of burrowing owl nest site preferences will help researchers install artificial burrows in what the owls consider desirable areas and increase artificial burrow use
