Owl of the Year Match 16 - Burrowing Owl vs Chaco Owl
WINNER: BURROWING OWL 60-20
Last match if the first round! This will get intense after this!
The Burrowing Owl has always been a favorite here. They're a diurnal owl, being active during the day instead of night, and they live underground as opposed to the forest like most owls. They've developed long legs to run after prey, though they can still fly. These owls are found all over the Western United States, Central America, and the eastern parts of South America. For better or worse, deforestation is actually helpingv these owls extend their area, as it makes the land more liveable and huntable for them.
Chaco Owl is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. It is named after the Gran Chaco biome it calls home. This is a mixture of drier, semi-arid forests in rolling lowlands. Chaco is the native word for "hunting land." Chaco Owl makes a frog like call. It is a nocturnal perch hunter, though most vocalization is at dawn and dusk. Not much is known about this owl due to it's remoteness.
These guys make such a wide range of quirky expressions. They're called the Howdy Bird because they'll pop out of the burrow when they hear people pass by.
I do love the eyes on these guys. I got to see one in person at a center in North Carolina of all places, and I could have stared at this owl all day. I think this bird doesn't get captured well in the photos I've seen, or I was just so awestruck seeing such a rare owl up close that my memory exaggerates it, but this owl is a special one for me.
If we're talking about owls that live in holes in general, that's about all of them since owls don't make nests. I can't find any info on if Chaco nests in trees or the ground like a Short Eared Owl, Chaco is one rare bird.