burrowing owl

noun

: a small diurnal chiefly ground-dwelling American owl (Athene cunicularia) of grassland and desert regions that roosts and nests in burrows

Examples of burrowing owl in a Sentence

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That includes efforts involving species such as Swainson’s hawks, burrowing owls, giant garter snakes, salmon, frogs and vernal pool shrimp, as well as the creation of a connected reserve system. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026 The first episode focused on burrowing owls in Cape Coral, while the second highlighted one of Gadberry's favorite birds of prey, the snail kite. — Patrick Connolly Orlando Sentinel, Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2026 Xcel had to get the correct permits from local municipalities as well as stormwater permitting, and have an environmental survey done to protect burrowing owls. — Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026 Read on for more including how two burrowing owls wound up on a trans-Atlantic cruise and finally returned to Florida after a yearlong adventure. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 13 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for burrowing owl

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of burrowing owl was in 1823

Rhymes for burrowing owl

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Browse Nearby Words

burrowing nematode
burrowing owl
burrowing shrimp
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Cite this Entry

“Burrowing owl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burrowing%20owl. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on burrowing owl

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about burrowing owl

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