Movements, Activity Patterns, and Habitat Use of Burrowing Owls in Saskatchewan

Abstract

We studied the breeding ecology of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) in central Saskatchewan during 1982-83. We determined home range, activity patterns, and habitat used for foraging for 6 radiotagged adult male owls. Owls used grass-forb areas for foraging and avoided croplands and grazed pasture. Mean home-range size was 2.41 km2 (range = 0.14-4.81 km2). Peak foraging activity occurred between 2030 and 0630 hours. Ninety-five percent of all movements were within 600 m of the nest burrows. The nesting habitat requirements of short grass, open sites, and burrow availability can be met by managing and protecting existing historic sites. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 54(1):27-35 The burrowing owl is classified as a threatened species in Canada because of an apparent decline of the small breeding population (Wedgwood 1978). In Saskatchewan, the primary breeding range of the burrowing owl in Canada, much of the native habitat originally occupied by burrowing owls has been converted to cropland. Loss of nesting habitat has also been implicated as a leading cause of the population decline in the United States, but the causes appear to be more complex on the Canadian prairies (Wedgwood 1978). As nesting habitat of the burrowing owl declines, it becomes increasingly important to understand the habitat requirements of the species for management and conservation. Many investigators (Coulombe 1971, Thomsen 1971, Martin 1973, Ross 1974, Wedgwood 1976) have documented various aspects of the diurnal activities of burrowing owls during the breeding season. We studied nocturnal movements, acvity patterns, and habitat use of burrowing owls in Saskatchewan with radio telemetry. We thank the World Wildlife Fund, Canada, and the Saskatchewan Department of Parks and R newable Resources for financial support. J. A. King, W. J. Maher, M. R. Duwors, R. J. Smith, D. W. Leach, S. Jana, University of Saskatchewan; J. B. Gollop, Canadian Wildlife Service; SPresent address: 6 Livingston Place, Winnipeg, MB R3T 3T5, Canada. This content downloaded from 207.46.13.25 on Mon, 12 Sep 2016 04:33:22 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 28 BURROWING OWL MOVEMENTS * Haug and Oliphant J. Wildl. Manage. 54(1):1990 and M. K. Mukerji, Agriculture Canada contributed time and effort to the project. J. B. Gollop and J. A. Wedgwood provided the historical locations of burrowing owl nest sites across Saskatchewan. A special thanks goes to the Deschamps, the Thompsons, and the many farmers who allowed access to their land and provided encouragement during the field work. We also acknowledge A. B. Didiuk, who worked long hours in the field and edited many manuscripts.