Close encounters at the Burrowing Owl Centre

North America’s burrowing owl is a curious bird. Standing just nine and a half inches tall with long, featherless legs, the brown, speckle-chested creature is more earthbound than its larger, airborne cousins.

survive.

Meanwhile, the SBOIC’s travelling “Owls on Tour” exposition is an outreach program that brings the story of the burrowing owl to the public at schools and events throughout the province. The one-hour presentation includes slides, songs, skits and stories about the burrowing owl and a visit from a live bird.

Southern Saskatchewan and Alberta are the furthest north the burrowing owl can be found, but numbers have been dwindling for decades due to a loss of habitat, low reproductive rates and high mortality rates. Although its habitat stretches down the centre of North America deep into Mexico, the bird has been considered endangered for decades, moving some ecologically-minded Moose Jaw residents to do something about it.

In 1997, the Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre (SBOIC) was created to highlight the plight of the burrowing owls using the Moose Jaw Exhibition Company’s racetrack infield as the main stage. Several owl pairings had annually chosen the area to nest, using holes created by Richardson ground squirrels to construct their homes. The SBOIC currently watches over 11 burrowing owls, one short-eared owl and a Richardson ground squirrel. Viewing of the animals is available by spotting scope certain times of the year. The Interpretive Centre is located near the nesting area at 250 Thatcher Drive East in Moose Jaw. It operates Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Victoria Day long weekend until Labour Day. More information on programming and the current status of the birds is available at 306.692.8710 or saskburrowingowl.ca.

The Interpretive Centre houses an educational display area, a gift shop. While visiting, patrons get a thorough guided or unguided presentation on the burrowing owl, it’s plight as an endangered species and what will need to take place for the species to

Unfortunately, an avian influenza discovered in 2022 outbreak has put some constraints on the SBOIC’s in-house and outreach programming since then.

A small celebration is held in May to open the season, but the organization plans to have its larger, Family Day Fundraiser in late July. Previous Family Day events have included hot dogs, beverages, face painting, a bouncy castle, burrowing owl education and a visit with the birds.

Details about the event were yet to be determined at press time.

Owls are SBOIC’s priority, but all animals are integral to each other’s existence. That’s why many residents turn to the organization when encountering an injured wild animal. When called about these situations, SBOIC has been referring people to wildlife rescue shelters in Regina and Saskatoon. The SBOIC is a non-profit organization that depends on individual donors, various environmental and educational grants and gift shop profits for funding. It does not receive financial aid from the provincial or federal governments.