Are they endangered?
No, they are not endangered worldwide. [IUCN Red list: Least
concern]. They are, however, endangered in parts of the United
States [Arizona].
What are their
past/present problems?
They are endangered because people have been building which
means habitat loss. Another reason is that farmers are using
their land for their animals to graze on.
These are reasons why some people are trying to stop them from
being taken off the endangered species list. There are
only about 30 of these owls in Arizona and if they are taken off
the list, people can build houses on the land.
What do they look
like?
These birds are mostly brown with white spots. Their bellies
are white with brown streaks. Their eyes are yellow. They are
tiny!
How big are they?
These birds are about 6 inches long. If they spread out their
wings all of the way, they would be 15 inches wide. They are a
small raptor.
How many eggs do they
lay?
Females lay from 3 to 5 white eggs once a year. The eggs hatch
in about a month.
How long do the
fledglings stay in the nest?
They nest in holes in trees and holes that woodpeckers left.
The young birds (owlets) leave the nest in a month.
When do they hunt?
They hunt during the day at dawn and dusk. (diurnal)
What do they eat?
They eat insects, scorpions, and Sometimes they grab prey
that is bigger than they are!
Where do they live?
They live in the United States, Mexico, Central and South
America.
What kind of place do
they like to live in?
They like to live in deserts that have cactus. They stay in low
areas, not mountainous ones that are dry.
Interesting facts:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to take them
off the endangered list. Some people like this idea
because it would open up a whole lot of land for
development. So far, the owls are staying on the endangered
species list.
