This bright-eyed burrowing owl is emerging from its burrow just in time to enjoy the sunset here in Northern California. And yes, you read that right—it’s a burrowing owl. Unlike most owls, burrowing owls nest and roost underground, often in tunnels abandoned by ground squirrels or prairie dogs. It"s one of many traits that make the pint-sized species unique among owls. Burrowing owls live in grasslands, deserts, or other open dry areas with low vegetation. When threatened, they retreat to their burrows and are known to frighten off predators by mimicking the rattling and hissing sounds of a rattlesnake. And while most other owls sleep during the daytime, burrowing owls are often active in the daylight hours. It"s as if they didn"t finish proper owl training.
Here s looking at you
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Pandas pucker up for International Kissing Day
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Frost on autumn leaves
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Beaver achievers
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Mitsumata blossoms
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A wild, craggy corner of the United States
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National Audubon Society s Christmas Bird Count
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Feeling crabby?
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Agüero, Huesca province, Spain
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The citadel in Bonifacio, Southern Corsica, France
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Classical music takes center stage
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Pont Rouge
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International Lighthouse Weekend
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Saffron in bloom
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International Kissing Day
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Mountain goats at Glacier National Park in Montana
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Celebrating whales—and a whale of a tale
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Space is for everyone
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Notes from an underground lake
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Wooden path to Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island, Canada
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Day of the Dead
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Misool, Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia
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The ruins of Italica, Andalusia, Spain
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American Eagle Day
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World Water Day
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Fashion models of the avian world
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Terraced rice fields, Yuanyang County, China
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Wartburg Castle overlooking Thuringian Forest in Germany
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Diwali
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Flower of Life symbol drawn in snow
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Go Fly a Kite Day
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