Smallest medium owl species in Montana
This owl species is not especially vocal but can do a large variety of sounds. Like some other species, their song and call changes slightly based on their region. In most parts of the US where these birds are found, their song is a two-note “coo” with a short under “hoot” at the end of each sequence.
The farther south you get (into Brazil and Argentina) it becomes just a two-note “coo”. The song is typically done by the male during mating season and for territorial defense. The owls are typically diurnal, so their calls are most likely heard during the daytime.
Their calls in the US are a repetitive “chirp” sound and the young owls have an “eep” call to the adults for food and alarm. The more southern burrowing owls sound more like a songbird, with a raspy “chir-chirp” repetition.
Due to these birds living on the ground in open habitats often shared with rattle snakes, it is very beneficial for them to make rattling noises like rattlesnakes to ward off predators.
