(species Speotyto cunicularia), small owl of the family Strigidae (order Strigiformes) that inhabits prairie lands of the Western Hemisphere from southwestern Canada to Tierra del Fuego. Burrowing owls live in holes abandoned by other animals. They eat mainly insects and small rodents. Slender, rather long-legged owls only about 20 cm (8 inches) long, they are brown with small white spots, white face and brows, and yellow eyes. During the day, burrowing owls may stand by the burrow or on a post. When approached by humans, they bob up and down as if in acknowledgment, and then fly a short distance away.