Portfolio

The Burrowing Owl • The Nighthawk • The Loggerhead Shrike

With fewer than 1,000 pairs thought to exist in this country, the Burrowing Owl is one of the most endangered birds in Canada’s prairie grasslands. We were lucky enough to have a nesting pair of burrowing owls on our farmland in 2005. They are curious sweet little things. The Burrowing Owl is one of the smallest owl species, distinguished by its very long legs and short tail. It gets its name from its habit of nesting in burrows dug by animals such as ground squirrels, badgers and prairie dogs.

To learn more about these sweeties and how to help preserve their habitat check them out here: https://wildlifepreservation.ca/burrowing-owl/

This is a Nighthawk, part of the Night Jar family. These grouchy looking little fellas are nocturnal so they sleep during the day and will scream at you if you disturb their slumber. The Nighthawk is a master of camouflage. Its dark brown and speckled plumage makes it almost invisible when perched on the ground and in the trees.

The major threats to Common Nighthawks are habitat loss and agricultural development. From being considered a common find within most Canadian communities, they are now a threatened species. To find out more about these guys and how to help check out https://naturecanada.ca/discover-nature/endangered-species/common-nighthawk/

The Loggerhead Shrike is a threatened species of predatory songbird. We’ve had a pair of nesting shrikes living out on my farm for the past few years and they are incredible little birds. Shrikes impale their dead prey on the thorns of shrubs or barbed wire and then tear off manageable chunks with their beak to eat. Freaky and cool little fellas!

To learn more about Shrikes and how to help preserve their habitat click here: https://wildlifepreservation.ca/loggerheadshrike/