Operation Burrowing Owl

Cart (0 items)

Operation Burrowing Owl

Last updated September 1, 2010

NEW! At Home on the Range: Living with Saskatchewan's Prairie Species at Risk guide. See below under Resource Information for Stewards.

Nature Saskatchewan's Operation Burrowing Owl (OBO) was launched in 1987 to protect Burrowing Owl habitat from cultivation, monitor population changes, and increase awareness of the owl. Landowners voluntarily agree to conserve grassland habitat for the endangered Burrowing Owl and other prairie wildlife.

Owl Fact Book

Over 450 private landowners participate in OBO, and together are conserving over 21,000 ha (52,000 acres) of grassland habitat in pastures and other lands while using their land as they always have. These landowners annually report the number of owls on their land.

If you are one of the few landowners with Burrowing Owls nesting on your land, or if you have prairie habitat that formerly supported owls, you have an important role in their survival. Every nest site is important to their recovery. Most OBO participants no longer have nesting owls, but their role in conserving habitat is essential if we are to see a population increase of these prairie ambassadors.

Operation Burrowing Owl Annual Census and Survey:

What Do I Do if I Spot a Burrowing Owl?

Call the Hoot Line: 1-800-667-HOOT (4668) (Available in Saskatchewan only) or email OBO.

By reporting a sighting you are helping to monitor the owl's population and distribution. Be sure to also report leg bands, as this provides information about their movements.
If Burrowing Owls are nesting on your land, become an Operation Burrowing Owl steward!
For current information on stewardship read the latest Stewards of Saskatchewan's Newsletter:

Newsletter:

How Do I Benefit from being an Operation Burrowing Owl Steward?

Benefits to participating landowners include:

Gaining recognition through a free-of-charge personalized gate sign (if requested) and receiving thank-you gifts every five years from our graduated rewards program for being a loyal OBO participant.
Receiving the annual SOS newsletter and species-at-risk calendar, and a tool-kit of educational information and conservation options.
Receiving a personal invitation to our Conservation Awareness Day events (local, free-of-charge, lunch provided; day to share knowledge and experiences on biodiversity, species at risk, range management practices and beneficial management practices).
Accessing funding opportunities to enhance habitat, e.g., to convert cropland to pasture using native grasses, develop an alternate water source, or put up fencing.
Signing a non-binding "handshake" agreement.
Belonging to a community of like-minded producers with opportunities for networking, support, and information exchange
Helping to maintain a healthy ecosystem with a diversity of species for future generations.

Where are Burrowing Owls Found?

The Burrowing Owl, or ground owl, was once found across the open mixed grasslands and aspen parkland. It ranged from Winnipeg in the east, to Calgary in the west and Prince Albert in the north. It has now disappeared from Manitoba and parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Burrowing Owls are now primarily found in the mixed grassland regions of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

How is the Burrowing Owl Faring?

The Burrowing Owl was once a common summer resident of the Canadian prairies. Since 1987, the Burrowing Owl population has declined over 93%. It's estimated that between 500 and 800 owl pairs currently breed in Canada, half of these in Saskatchewan (2004 estimate).
The owl's decline has been attributed to changes in the prairie landscape. Over 75% of our native grassland has been cultivated and 40% of our wetlands have been lost. Grassland that remains is often heavily fragmented. Habitat change has resulted in a lower survival rate for Burrowing Owl eggs and young.
OBO appreciates and recognizes the efforts of the many stewards who conserve the remaining habitat for Burrowing Owls.

Burrowing Owl Numbers Increase Again in 2009

For the second year in a row (since 2004) Operation Burrowing Owl (OBO) participants reported an increase in the number of owls nesting on their land. During the 2009 annual census, 42 participants reported 82 pairs of owls (corrected for non-reporting members, 79 actual pairs reported by 42 landowners at 52 sites) in response to 432 census packages mailed in June. This is a 4% increase from the 79 pairs (corrected) reported by participants in 2008 (73 actual pairs reported by 41 participants at 41 sites). We are optimistic that the slight population fluctuations since 1997 are representative of a fairly stable Burrowing Owl population. Hopefully the increase will continue in 2010 and the years to come!

Burrowing Owl Population Trend at Operation Burrowing Owl Sites 1987-2009

Note: The 2001-2009 "OBO Participants" includes participants that have completed an OBO habitat enhancement project and have never reported owls

Working Together to Help You

Education:
OBO works with the Prairie Conservation Action Plan (PCAP) and the Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretative Centre (SBOIC) to provide information and educational opportunities to the public about the importance of prairie conservation. We participate in PCAP's Eco-Extravaganza, an educational event that visits children in rural schools for a day of fun and games with a positive message about grassland conservation.

Habitat Enhancement

Expand your pasture

Nature Saskatchewan (NS) offers a pasture enhancement program to improve habitat for Burrowing Owls, Piping Plovers and Sprague's Pipit. Habitat enhancement can take place through reseeding cultivated to pasture, fencing, shrub planting, and alternate water development. The landowner provides 50% of the project cost. Only native plants can be used in sowing mixes for seeding projects.

To be eligible for funds to improve habitat for Burrowing Owls an area must be:

Within 3 miles of nest sites that currently or previously supported Burrowing Owls within the past 22 years, with priority given to closer areas with more recent records of owls.
Adjacent to or close to existing tame or native pasture.

To be eligible for funds to improve habitat for Piping Plovers or Sprague's Pipits through fencing and/or alternate water development, an area must have:

A verified breeding pair in the current year, or be designated as Piping Plover critical habitat;

Native prairie and adjacent to existing pasture.
Projects are not approved if the land was broken from native prairie within the past three years. Maximum level of assistance per applicant is $52/acre for seed, custom seeding, herbicide and herbicide application. Maximum level of assistance for enhancement work is $18,000 per applicant, which could include fencing and water development. Assistance is subject to available funds and landowner participation/contribution.

For more information on the Habitat Enhancement program you can contact Lacey at 1-800-667-4668 or email at obo@naturesask.ca.

The Habitat Enhancement Application Form

Conservation Awareness Days

Conservation Awareness Day events are held in appreciation of rural landowners who voluntarily conserve habitat for species at risk on their land. Every year, we visit different areas of the province to reach these stewards as well as other interested individuals in their communities. Conservation Awareness Day events are hosted by communities together with Nature Saskatchewan and often other agencies and individuals interested in conservation.
Conservation Awareness Day events provide landowners the opportunity to learn and discuss issues related to their land and operations, species at risk, and conservation. Events include presentations on Nature Saskatchewan and our Stewards of Saskatchewan habitat stewardship programs, beneficial management practices for species at risk, common conservation myths, funding opportunities for habitat enhancement projects, and natural history of the area. Other agencies and individuals bring discussions on issues of interest such as invasive weeds, environmental farm plans, agriculture and biodiversity. There is often a field excursion to a local site. A highlight of the event is a visit with a live Burrowing Owl from the Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre where attendees meet the owl and learn more about this endangered species.

If you are interested in attending a Conservation Awareness Day event or have suggestions on issues to discuss, please contact Nature Saskatchewan toll free at 1-800-667-4668. Watch this website for announcements of upcoming dates and locations!

How Can You Get Involved in Operation Burrowing Owl?

Volunteers are crucial for the success of the Operation Burrowing Owl program. OBO volunteers contact landowners, report sightings, work on mapping projects, do literature searches, and perform office duties. All of these tasks help us to conserve this unique prairie species.
You can contact us about Operation Burrowing Owl by:
Calling us toll-free in Saskatchewan on the HOOT LINE at 1-800-667-HOOT (4668) or by e-mail to obo@naturesask.ca