The Burrowing Owl finds its home in dry open areas with low vegetation, sometimes in vacant properties along the urban and surburban edges where bird enthusiasts delight in watching them. However, it is exactly this type of habitat is often targeted for development, putting the Burrowing Owl in a precarious position.

Burrowing Owls breed from Canada's southern prairie provinces south throughout western United States to southern California and Mexico. They can also be found in Florida, Cuba and South America. Burrowing Owls are 9" tall, and have short tails and long legs.

The Burrowing Owl has been designated a Species of Special Concern in California, mostly due to threats to habitat from agriculture and development. A number of local populations of Burrowing Owls have declined in recent years, mostly due to the conversion of their habitat to other uses. While a number of Audubon chapters are working to protect Burrowing Owls in their local areas, Audubon California has been directly involved in safeguarding their habitat as the state maps out zones for solar power development in the southwestern part of California.

More than 22,000 votes were cast in this year's Bird of the Year poll. The Burrowing Owl finished with 48.3 percent of the votes cast. The Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo was a distant second at 16.1 percent, while the Brown Pelican took third with 12.9 percent of the vote.