About the Burrowing Owls
The Burrowing Owl is a small, brown and white barred owl that stands 8-10 inches tall. Burrowing Owls may be present in any areas with ground squirrel burrows or artificial burrows on flat ground, hillsides or low embankments. Artificial burrows consisting of polycarbonate utility boxes and clay or PVC pipe have been installed in several areas at Shoreline.

Please observe the 25 mph speed limit when driving around the park to prevent these low-flying birds from being hit. The following precautions are taken to prevent accidental destruction of a nest site or active owl burrow at Shoreline.

Prior to installing electrical cables, pipes, concrete vaults, sidewalks, telephone poles or lines, or engaging in ground disturbing activity, the site is secured to find out if any occupied owl burrows are in the area where the work will occur. Pipe ends, other than culverts, are sealed to prevent owls from being trapped inside them.

The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) Mitigation Guidelines (1995) recommend that a 250-foot buffer zone be maintained around a nest burrow during the construction or disturbance. The Department also recommends that a 160-foot buffer zone be maintained around any other active owl burrow that may be affected by construction. A temporary fence is often placed 160-250 feet from the nest burrow to prevent construction equipment or vehicles from entering the buffer zone. The buffer zone is established by a qualified owl biologist and the CDFG.

Burrowing Owls live in grasslands and areas with low growing vegetation, dwelling underground in the burrows of ground squirrels. If natural burrows are not available, Burrowing Owls will use concrete or PVC pipes, culverts, holes under sidewalks, roads, asphalt or concrete piles for nest sites and cover from predators. They may also spend quite a bit of time above ground near their burrow, where their bright yellow eyes and long, bare legs are quite noticeable to observers.

Burrowing Owls may be present on a site during the breeding season, but they may also occur on a site as winter residents or migrants. The best time of the day to observe Burrowing Owls is during early morning and early evening hours when they actively hunt for prey by running, pouncing and hovering.

Burrowing Owls forage mostly for insects, including crickets, beetles and earwigs, but will also hunt mice, small rodents, lizards, crayfish and even small birds. An active owl burrow can be identified by whitewash (droppings), feathers, pellets (castings) or prey remains.

During the nesting season, male owls decorate their mates’ nest burrows with animal dung, paper, dry grass and other debris. Females may lay between 6 and 11 white eggs which they incubate underground for about 28 days. The young are fed by both parents until they are able to fly and forage independently. Young and family groups may disperse from the nest site beginning in July. Burrowing Owls show strong site fidelity and may return to the same burrow every spring over a period of several years.

Laws and Regulations
The Burrowing Owl is a state "Species of Special Concern" and is protected under the following laws:

• The federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which prohibits the "taking of active nests, eggs, young or adults." "Take" is defined as "to pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect, or attempt to pursue or collect" a bird.
• Fish and Game Code, Sections 3503, 3503.5, 3513, and 3800. These regulations prohibit the taking, possession or destruction of any bird of prey or migratory nongame bird or its nest or eggs.
• Nests, eggs and young are protected during the breeding season (February 1 through August 31).
• A survey should be conducted within 30 days of construction for any California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) project to determine if owls are foraging or nesting on or adjacent to the project site.