Native to North and South America, Burrowing Owls can be found in treeless areas land prefer open grassland and agricultural fields.  As their name suggests they live and nest in burrows that have been previously dug out by other small mammals. They spend most of their time on the ground and are well camouflaged with their brown sandy spotted plumage and white eyebrows with yellow eyes. They have quite distinctive long legs which enable it to run fast as well as fly whilst searching for food. Standing at around nine inches in height and a wingspan of about twenty one inches they are one of the smallest owls in North America, both the male and female birds are the same height and size.

Burrowing Owls often stow extra food to ensure an adequate supply during incubation and brooding. When food is plentiful, the birds' underground larders can reach prodigious sizes. Unlike most owls, Burrowing Owls are quite active during the day, although they tend to avoid the midday heat. But like many other kinds of owls, burrowing owls do most of their hunting from dusk until dawn, when they can use their night vision and hearing to their advantage. Before laying eggs, Burrowing Owls carpet the entrances to their homes with animal dung, which attracts dung beetles and other insects that the owls then catch and eat. They are known to collect bottle caps, metal foil, cigarette butts, paper scraps and other bits of rubbish which they leave at the entrance of their burrow to denote that burrow is occupied.

Burrowing Owls have a life span of approximately 8 years to 9 years.