'Pop can on stilts': Burrowing owls back to breeding grounds in Sask., conservation efforts underway
After a long winter, burrowing owls have made their way back to their breeding grounds in southern Saskatchewan.
The owls journeyed back to the prairies from Mexico and southern Texas and breeding season is already underway, according to a release from Nature Saskatchewan.
The burrowing owls have already paired up. The females are incubating the eggs inside the burrow while the males are busy hunting for food, the release said.
The burrowing owls, which have long featherless legs “that make them look like a pop can on stilts,” are adapted to the prairie landscape and coexist well with grazing animals.
The owls have become a common sight in the prairies but according to Nature Saskatchewan, they are an endangered species in Canada.
“Every sighting is incredibly important,” the release read. “If you have burrowing owls in your pasture or cultivated land, do not fear. Burrowing Owls are excellent helpers and provide many advantages including free pest control.”
Kaytlyn Burrows, habitat stewardship coordinator, said the owls eat huge numbers of insects, mice, voles, and grasshoppers.
“Over the course of a summer, one owl family can consume up to 1,800 rodents and 7,000 insects,” she said in the release.
Nature Saskatchewan’s voluntary program called “Operation Burrowing Owl” works to conserve habitats and keep an eye on population numbers.
“Without the voluntary efforts of the land stewards and the general public, recovery of this unique prairie owl would not be possible,” Burrows said in the release.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.