Wise Old Bird LbNA #75753

Burrowing Owl, Athene cunicularia (formerly; Speotyto cunicularia), sometimes known as the ground owl, Billy owl, long-legged owl, prairie owl, and prairie dog owl.  This species is unusual among owls because the male has longer wings and is slightly larger than the female. These small birds live mainly on shortgrass prairies and consume insects and small mammals -- farmland pests. The burrowing owl got its scientific name in honour of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom whose favorite bird was an owl (hence the name of the box “A Wise Old Bird”), and the Latin word cunicularia, meaning a miner or burrower. As this name suggests, they nest in abandoned burrows made by mammals, like Prairie Dogs. Interestingly, these birds frequently redistribute their chicks into more than one burrow after they hatch so predators cannot kill their entire family. Now, that’s a wise old bird!

Directions: Find the prairie dog town in McKenzie Park in Lubbock, Texas. Park in front of the pavilion and historical marker.

To the box: Facing the box you will be looking out at the prairie dog town with a low concrete block wall around the entire town. If you want to see the owls, which live in otherwise unoccupied prairie dog burrows, you might need to get there early and bring binoculars. Go left (clockwise) around the wall about halfway until you come to a chain link fence. To your left is another fence that intersects it. In that corner on the ground under a flat concrete block you should find the Wise Old Bird.


Hike length: 0.5 miles