Burrowing Owl Conservation Network combines hands-on conservation efforts with advocacy and outreach. By educating individuals, garnering land owner cooperation and support, installing artificial burrows, championing progressive burrowing owl and habitat management policies and laws, increasing scientific research, and fostering appreciation, we aim to reverse the current trend that is promoting extirpation of the western burrowing owl.

Conservation Projects
In an era of incessant urbanization and constant development, the need for conservation action has never been more important for the survival of burrowing owl colonies. Unfortunately, the lands that often fall victim to sprawl are the same lands that burrowing owls have come to rely upon for roosting, nesting, foraging, and protection. This ever increasing human-owl conflict has resulted in a continued decline and disappearance of populations across North America. Burrowing Owl Conservation Network actively works to re-establish, preserve and aid in the relocation of burrowing owl colonies through the maintenance of habitat and construction of artificial burrows on private and public lands. Offering suitable and replacement shelters and habitat for that lost during development are essential in maintaining healthy and viable populations, and provide burrowing owls the opportunity to return to areas upon which they have become absent. If your nonprofit organization, group, or community is in need of resources and/or assistance in this capacity, please contact us for more information.

Through field surveys programs and public/volunteer reports, Burrowing Owl Conservation Network documents, researches and reviews the locations of burrowing owls in California to ensure that proper measures are in place and adequate mitigation has been adopted to minimize impacts to habitat, owls and fossorial mammals (i.e. ground squirrels). For those populations residing outside of California, we are happy to lend our expertise and provide assistance at a distance until we have sufficient staff to cover your state or region.

Advocacy
Most Burrowing Owl populations in California and North America still face the same primary threats they did three decades ago. Burrowing owls continue to decline as a result of habitat loss and control of ground squirrels and other host burrowers. Additionally, weak laws and antiquated policies that are not keeping up with the latest science are preventing stabilization and recovery of the species. Environmental Impact Reports often do not capture significant biological impacts of loss of burrowing owl habitat and lost habitat is often not mitigated. Lead Agencies claim there are no significant impacts and put projects through as Mitigated Negative Declarations. Migratory Bird Treaty Act language has had limited legal interpretation and in California the Department of Fish & Game (DFG) denied petition in 2003 to list the burrowing owl under California Endangered Species Act, has failed to develop a Comprehensive Conservation Plan, continues to approve eviction plans without the presence of alternative natural or artificial burrows, and refrains from monitoring activities to ensure eviction plans are implemented as intended and take is avoided.

Burrowing Owl Conservation Network looks to garner and enhance protections for burrowing owls and other wildlife to ensure our heritage includes a balanced, healthy ecosystem. By working with federal, state and local officials and agencies, we propose long-term solutions based on the latest science, research and wildlife conservation methods. By advocating for legislation and policy change, we can foster updated, clarified and augmented conservation guidelines to biologists, planners, land managers, and CEQA lead agencies for the benefit of burrowing owls across North America.

Community & Educational Outreach
Burrowing Owl Conservation Network believes education is vital to reaching our conservation goals. Because Environmental Impact Reports often overlook mitigation for burrowing owls and their habitat, citizen participation is not only required, but is frequently the only form of oversight to guarantee compliance by Lead Agencies. Furthermore, the burrowing owl has a unique lifecycle that makes it dependent upon its burrows and habitat for survival. Thus, certain forms of land management practices may actually harm owl colonies, especially during breeding season when eggs and young may be present underground.

By providing information, materials and resources through various educational and community outreach programs, we introduce the incredible world of the burrowing owl to children, schools and groups, and assist individuals, communities, and stakeholders (i.e. ranchers, farmers, military bases, local, state, and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and scientific research and education communities) in techniques that will minimize impacts to owls and their habitats. We offer presentations and training workshops, work directly with County Conservation Districts and participate in a variety of wildlife and conservation meetings and forums like the Burrowing Owl Consortium.

Burrowing Owl Conservation Network is dedicated to nurturing cooperation and aims to make burrowing owl conservation a positive experience for everyone involved. If you are interested in having a member of the Burrowing Owl Conservation Network speak to your group, school or community, or are in need of resources and assistance please contact us.

Networking & Collaborations
Burrowing Owl Conservation Network understands that communication is an integral part of success and we strive to capitalize upon the expertise and experiences of others. By enlisting the assistance of and conferring with biologists, scientists and advocates within governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations, we can work together to achieve a common burrowing owl conservation vision. Working and networking with organizations that are successfully implementing innovative burrowing owl conservation strategies in other states can serve as a model for those, such as California, in need of updated policies. Through collaborations with wildlife rehabilitation facilities, wildlife conservation, habitat preservation and birding groups, we are creating a local, regional and national network of burrowing owl conservationists and a means for sharing data, ideas, and resources that increase public exposure, support and volunteer action; all of which are beneficial and critical to our conservation efforts.

Media Outreach
Burrowing Owl Conservation Network considers the media a useful and valuable tool in circulating information, garnering public support and reporting on advocacy activities as we seek to strengthen current wildlife conservation guidelines and legislation. Bringing the plight of burrowing owls to the forefront of the East San Francisco Bay Area and eventually sparking California and nation-wide attention began with a guest column in the Contra Costa Times and a YouTube video report. During this initial media exposure the Burrowing Owl Conservation Network realized the fundamental importance of building relationships with print, radio, and television reporters and writers and has continued to work with these outlets to keep the public informed. To see our growing list of articles in newspapers and magazines, listen to radio interviews, or watch news broadcasts featuring Burrowing Owl Conservation Network, please check out our News page.

Research
Burrowing Owl Conservation Network promotes increasing the scientific knowledgebase of the western burrowing owl through the use of various research tools including banding, installation of nest box cameras, and the exploration of physical relocation techniques. Banding is a universal and indispensable technique for studying the movement, survival and behavior of burrowing owls and even provides an opportunity for researches, wildlife biologists, and the general public to aid in scientific studies by reporting band numbers that have been sighted to The North American Bird Banding Program of the USGS. The use of solar cameras in nest boxes offers insight into burrowing owl nesting and rearing behaviors as well as grants opportunities to stream video over the internet for use in educational projects and community outreach programs. Because the standard method of evicting burrowing owls from their habitat with one-way exclusion doors can result in the direct and indirect death of individuals and colonies, Burrowing Owl Conservation Network is exploring the feasibility of introducing methods of physical relocations as performed and developed by Wild at Heart in Arizona. By utilizing these techniques and documenting their successes in California, we aim to alter the manner by which burrowing owls are forcibly removed from areas slated for development and provide a means to minimize loss of owls and reverse the population decline trend that has continued over the last 30 years.