Sask. drivers warned to watch for burrowing owls

Nature Saskatchewan is asking drivers to keep an eye out for burrowing owls on rural roads this summer.

The burrowing owl population is still in decline, making the survival of each individual owl critical for the population, the group says.

It's the time of year when young burrowing owls leavethe nest and startforaging for themselves.

That means many of them will be hunting along the roads at dusk, when theroad surfaces tend to be warmer than the surrounding grasslands and attract insects and rodents.

The group is asking drivers to slow down near known or potential nest sites and keep an eye out for low-flying owls.

About half of the 800 remaining pairs of burrowing owls breed in Saskatchewan, nesting in abandoned burrows made bybadgers and gophers.

Anyone who sees a burrowing owl is encouraged to report it to Nature Saskatchewan'sHoot Line 1-800-667-HOOT (4668) to help with population monitoring.