Manitoba program helping burrowing owls needs funding help

A burrowing owl in the wild in this undated photo. (Source: Walter Potrebka)

Burrowing owls are on the endangered species list and a Manitoba organization that works to help the birds survive is also struggling to stay afloat.

Manitoba Burrowing Owl Recovery Program was started in 2013 and was designed to reintroduce the birds into the wild as well as conservation efforts with the owl's habitats.

"Burrowing owls are kind of an icon for the prairies because they are very charismatic and I feel like most land owners are very keen about having burrowing owls on their land. So we sort of wanted to develop more of a program rather than just a research project," said Alex Froese, the executive director and founder of the program.

Froese said when she started there were only 10 owls – five pairs – and since then she said the program has been able to reintroduce several owls each year back into the wild.

Despite the success, Froese said they have been struggling with funding for this year, only receiving about 20 per cent of their $100,000 yearly budget.

"Funding has always been a challenge, this isn't new, but in the last three years we've struggled much more because public funding has gone to the wayside," she said.

"In 2020, it looked as though the program was going to end that year and we really started focusing on fundraising, just through the general public."

She said the donations really helped the program survive in 2020 and noted it is once again in a similar position.

"We have a lot to make up. We're hoping to get a few more larger donations this year and hopefully the general public shows up for us again to keep us going."

People can donate through Canada Helps or by visiting the program’s website.

THREE BURROWING OWLS RETURN TO ARTIFICIAL BURROWS

One of the ways the program has been working to protect and help the owl population is by creating artificial burrows.

Froese said usually the birds rely on dens that were made by other animals like foxes or badgers, but there can be safety concerns with those nests.

The artificial burrows - which are made out of weeping tile and a large bucket – go five feet into the ground and give the owls added protection.

"These nest burrows add extra protections for burrowing owls that return to the area. If they select one of those artificial nest burrows, then their family group is protected because digging animals can't dig it up."

Over the last three years, Froese said pairs and individuals have been returning to the province, and currently there are three owls occupying the artificial burrows.

"They're unmated, so they don't have a female, they are all male. They don't have a female yet but they're trying to attract a female by calling and their burrow is all set to go. They lined the burrow and the entryway with cow manure. They use that as a decoration, but then also to attract insects to the burrow because if they have a family, burrowing owls eat a lot of insects."

Froese said she is hopeful that the funding will come in so the program can continue to have successes like the three owls right now that are using the artificial burrows.