{"id":26026,"date":"2015-07-01T05:15:27","date_gmt":"2015-07-01T11:15:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=26026"},"modified":"2025-10-13T15:21:58","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T20:21:58","slug":"a-bundle-of-western-burrowing-owls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/07\/01\/a-bundle-of-western-burrowing-owls\/","title":{"rendered":"Bundle of Western Burrowing Owls"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PairPair of young Burrowing Owls in early morning light – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/500, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I thought I would share some images I have taken of Western Burrowing Owls that I took over several days spent with them in Box Elder County, Utah. There won’t be much text but hopefully the images will pretty much speak for themselves.<\/p>\n

Juvenile Burrowing Owls look so expressive with serious looks to funny clown faces and all of them amuse, delight and enchant me.<\/p>\n

\"WindWind blown juvenile Burrowing Owl – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

They learn to keep their balance even in a breeze…<\/p>\n

\"BurrowingBurrowing Owl juvie stretching one wing – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

And they stretch their wings and quite often stretch the leg simultaneously on the same side as the stretched out wing.<\/p>\n

\"FocusedFocused flight of a juvenile Burrowing Owl – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

The young Burrowing Owls seem to like the morning sun and I’ve seen several of them perched on posts next to each other and individuals taking flight.<\/p>\n

\"YoungA young Burrowing Owl about to land on a barbed wire fence – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

They fly with amazing grace shortly after learning how to use their wings.<\/p>\n

\"JuvenileJuvenile Burrowing Owl a split second after landing on a wooden post – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/640, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

And although they don’t always land with grace they will learn to do that soon enough.<\/p>\n

\"JuvenileJuvenile Burrowing Owl getting its balance – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I like to watch the get their balance because as a bird photographer that means many different poses and facial expressions in a short period of time. The trick is getting them with their eyes open and looking towards the camera.<\/p>\n

\"BurrowingBurrowing Owl juvenile stretching its wing on a wooden fence post – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I liked this photo because it shows the whole length of one wing and the plumage pattern. The light was getting high so more of the owl’s eye is shaded from the brow.<\/p>\n

\"FemaleFemale Burrowing Owl up close – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

This final image was taken two days ago and although some might find the bloody bill of this female a tad repulsive it simply reminds me that the owls are and will always be birds of prey no matter how cute they might look.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Burrowing Owl photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I thought I would share some images I have taken of Western Burrowing Owls that I took over several days spent with them in Box Elder County, Utah. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":160182,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1148,52,26],"tags":[4004,55,2663,4214,7524,4070,4141,4052,7526,7527,7528,4067,4071,4123,3967,294,4353,4104,7525,3964,4516],"class_list":["post-26026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-burrowing-owls","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-athene-cunicularia","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-burrowing-owl","tag-desert-owl","tag-female","tag-fledgling","tag-flight","tag-gopher-owl","tag-ground-owl","tag-howdy-owl","tag-immature","tag-juvenile","tag-landing","tag-owl","tag-owls","tag-owls-of-utah","tag-perched","tag-prairie-dog-owl","tag-stretching","tag-western-burrowing-owl"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-flight-mia-mcpherson-8669.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-6LM","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":26957,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/07\/27\/it-is-tough-being-a-bird-photographer-when-it-comes-to-burrowing-owls\/","url_meta":{"origin":26026,"position":0},"title":"It Is Tough Being A Bird Photographer When It Comes To Burrowing Owls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"You might wonder why I think it is tough being a bird photographer when it comes to Burrowing Owls.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juvenile Burrowing Owl perched on a watering trough, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-watering-trough-mia-mcpherson-8630.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-watering-trough-mia-mcpherson-8630.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-wing-lift-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-wing-lift-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-wing-lift-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-wing-lift-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":26703,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/07\/14\/juvenile-burrowing-owls-do-change-their-spots\/","url_meta":{"origin":26026,"position":2},"title":"Juvenile Burrowing Owls Do Change Their Spots","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Leopards don't change their spots but juvenile Burrowing Owls do change their spots on their chests as they mature.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Burrowing Owl fluttering on a fence, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-8906.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-8906.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-8906.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-8906.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":40736,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/07\/31\/yawning-juvenile-burrowing-owl\/","url_meta":{"origin":26026,"position":3},"title":"Yawning Juvenile Burrowing Owl","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 31, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I haven't posted a Burrowing Owl in a bit so I thought I would share this yawning juvenile Burrowing Owl that I photographed the beginning of July.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Yawning juvenile Western Burrowing Owl, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-0572.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-0572.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-0572.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-0572.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":35067,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/01\/22\/winter-burrowing-owls-on-antelope-island\/","url_meta":{"origin":26026,"position":4},"title":"Winter Burrowing Owls on Antelope Island","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 22, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"It was the first of the winter Burrowing Owls I was to find yesterday while on Antelope Island State Park.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Back lit Burrowing Owl in winter on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-back-lit-mia-mcpherson-5674.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-back-lit-mia-mcpherson-5674.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-back-lit-mia-mcpherson-5674.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Burrowing Owls are small, long-legged, sandy-colored, charismatic owls with bright yellow eyes.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Burrowing Owl on a stump in soft morning light, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/burrowing-owl-immature-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-7693.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/burrowing-owl-immature-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-7693.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/burrowing-owl-immature-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-7693.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/burrowing-owl-immature-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-7693.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26026"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26026\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/160182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}