Wild At Heart’s Burrowing Owl Project

As Arizona continues to grow, one of the greatest challenges is to minimize the impact of growth on displaced wildlife. The Burrowing Owl (the only owl in the world that lives underground) is especially affected by development. These small owls live and raise their young underground and are at risk of being buried during construction. Burrowing owls are a species of “Special Concern” in many areas and endangered in Canada.

  • In 1993, Bob and “Sam” Fox, directors of Wild At Heart (WAH), began small experiments by constructing the first artificial underground burrows in Arizona and relocating rehabilitated Burrowing Owls into these new homes.
  • In 2001, this prototype program began to rescue and relocate resident burrowing owls from areas being developed. A permit from U.S. Fish & Wildlife is required for each site prior to owls being trapped and removed. The captured owls are cared for by WAH volunteers for a minimum of 90 days: 60 days at the WAH facility and an additional 30 days at the release site. This length of time is necessary to break the owl’s bond to its former habitat.
  • Wild At Heart continues to refine the various aspects of Burrowing Owl relocation, artificial burrow design, and release tents to improve the percentage of owls retained at a relocation site. Since 2002,over 3,000 burrows have been constructed throughout Arizona by WAH and community volunteers, and more than 1,500 Burrowing Owls have been relocated. Additional habitat is continuing to be built and many more owls are scheduled for relocation and release.
  • Wild At Heart has partnered with The Research Branch of Arizona Game and Fish Department to analyze the success of relocation and to determine scientific guidelines for expanded relocation work for the future. These guidelines will be used by land managers and wildlife habitat restoration groups to determine the suitability and probable success for Burrowing Owl relocations in urban and native habitats throughout Arizona, the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
  • Wild At Heart's Burrowing Owl Project received an Award of Merit in Environmental Stewardship at Valley Forward's 25th annual Environmental Excellence Awards celebration on September 9th, 2005. Valley Forward's Environmental Excellence Awards (EEA) program is Arizona's oldest,largest and most prestigious environmental competition for significant contributions to the environment.
  • On Nov.3, 2006 Wild At Heart’s Burrowing Project received the Metropolitan Pima Alliance Common Ground Award (Burrowing Owls Get New Digs) in the Open Space Categoryfor it’s work in Tucson and southern Arizona.
  • The Burrowing Owl Model Relocation Project is a new joint effort by Wild At Heart and Defenders of Wildlife aiming to promote the long-term conservation of burrowing owls. This joint effort will document Wild At Heart’s burrowing owl protocols and develop a manual intended for adoption and use by the California Department of Fish and Game. The manual will outline how to successfully relocate burrowing owls to protected areas in order to help reverse the decline of this imperiled species. In September 2005, under the leadership of Wild At Heart, Defenders Of Wildlife and the California based Burrowing Owl Protection Society constructed 24 burrows near Woodland, CA and released 5 displaced owls provided by UC Davis.Efforts to save California’s small remaining burrowing owl population continue.

Wild At Heart is located in Cave Creek, Arizona. We are dedicated to the conservation and preservation of Arizona's native wildlife through the rescue and rehabilitation of injured and orphaned birds of prey, relocation of displaced raptors, public education, and habitat enhancement programs.

Wildlife Rehabilitation  Educational Programs  Habitat Enhancement  (480) 595-5047

31840 N. 45th Street, Cave Creek, Arizona85331  Non-profit  Tax I.D. # EIN 86-0770883  Donations Welcome