ANIMALS - BIRDS - OWLS - BURROWING OWL (ATHENE CUNICULARIA)

Animals - Birds - Owls

Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Strigiformes
Family : Strigdae
Genus : Athene
Species : A. Cunicularia

Description:

The Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is a small, long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated by prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.). Unlike most owls, Burrowing Owls are often active during the day, although they tend to avoid the midday heat. But like many other kinds of owls, burrowing owls do most of their hunting from dusk until dawn, when they can use their night vision and hearing to their advantage. Living in open grasslands as opposed to the forest, the burrowing owl has developed longer legs, which enables it to sprint as well as fly when hunting.

Binomial Name:

Name : Athene cunicularia
Taxonomist : Juan Ignacio Molina (Guaraculén - Chile)
Year : 1782
Subspecies : Around 20 (Cunicularia, Grallaria, Hypugaea, … )
Synonym : Strix cunicularia, Speotyto cunicularia, Spheotyto cunicularia (lapsus)

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 3 of 8, from Owls Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 30th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 copies
Type : Stamp from Series of 8 Stamps
Value : UYP 15

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated