E84 Lynne Trulio – Burrowing Owls: Underground Homes, Rattlesnake Tricks & the Fight to Survive 🦉

An owl that lives underground, sounds like a rattlesnake, and depends on squirrels for its home? Meet the Burrowing Owl, one of the most extraordinary birds of prey in North America. Unlike most owls, Burrowing Owls live in open grasslands, spend much of their time on the ground, and raise their young in underground burrows. They're tiny—often weighing only about a quarter of a pound—but their survival strategies are remarkable. In this episode of Naturally Scott, host Scott Harris welcomes Lynne Trulio, a wildlife biologist and longtime Burrowing Owl researcher whose career studying these fascinating raptors began with an entirely different animal: the California ground squirrel. 🦉 In this episode: • How Lynne's research on California ground squirrels at UC Davis introduced her to Burrowing Owls • Why Burrowing Owls are so different from other North American owls • How western Burrowing Owls depend on burrows excavated by ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and other mammals • Why Florida Burrowing Owls can dig their own burrows • How Burrowing Owls adapt to baseball fields, golf courses, military bases, and agricultural landscapes • Why open grasslands and unobstructed views are essential to their survival • How Great Horned Owls, Red-tailed Hawks, coyotes, and skunks threaten these tiny raptors • The astonishing rattlesnake mimicry used by Burrowing Owl chicks • How chicks use sound to discourage predators from entering their burrows • How ground squirrels and prairie dogs warn Burrowing Owls about approaching danger • Why the squirrels don't appear to respond to the owls' alarm calls • The surprisingly one-sided relationship between Burrowing Owls and their mammalian neighbors • Why western Burrowing Owl populations have declined across much of their range • How habitat conversion, rodenticides, and the destruction of prairie dog colonies affect owl survival • Why certain types of agriculture can support surprisingly large Burrowing Owl populations • What new genetic research reveals about migrating and resident Burrowing Owls • Why some migrating owls decide to remain in California and breed with resident populations • How Burrowing Owls return to familiar nesting sites and often reunite with the same mates One of the most fascinating stories Lynne shares involves Burrowing Owl chicks that imitate the sound of a rattlesnake. When threatened inside their underground nests, young owls produce a remarkably convincing rattling sound. Research has shown that this acoustic mimicry closely resembles a rattlesnake's warning—a remarkable defense for a chick that cannot yet protect itself. Lynne also explains how Burrowing Owls have developed an extraordinary relationship with ground squirrels and prairie dogs. The mammals dig the burrows. The owls move in, use those burrows to raise their young, and listen for the mammals' alarm calls when predators approach. Sometimes, the squirrels even return during the winter and clean out the abandoned nesting chambers. But the relationship isn't entirely equal. While the owls benefit enormously, the squirrels don't appear to respond to the owls' warnings in return. Beyond these remarkable behaviors, the conversation explores the increasingly uncertain future of Burrowing Owls. Across much of western North America, populations have declined as native grasslands disappear, prairie dog colonies are destroyed, and rodenticides threaten birds of prey. Lynne discusses the conservation challenges facing both western and Florida Burrowing Owls, including California's efforts to provide greater protection. And she shares two discoveries from her own research: the surprising mixing of migratory and resident owl populations, and the strong attachment Burrowing Owls have to their nesting sites and longtime mates. For Lynne, those discoveries underscore a powerful conservation lesson: protecting Burrowing Owls means protecting not just individual birds, but the burrows, habitats, and relationships that make successful breeding possible. Lynne is also a contributor to Scott's upcoming book, Why We Love Owls, featuring personal stories from 52 people whose lives have been shaped by these remarkable birds. If you love owls, raptors, birdwatching, wildlife biology, or extraordinary animal behavior, this conversation offers a fascinating look into the hidden lives of one of America's most unusual birds.