Last updated on April 2nd, 2023 at 03:39 pm
Most owls found in the United States reproduce in the spring, but a few species in tropical or subtropical regions breed later in the year, sometimes well into the fall. Since most owls aren’t nest builders, you may wonder where they lay their eggs. Do owls lay their eggs in the ground?
Some owls do lay their eggs in the ground, including the burrowing owl, short-eared owl, and snowy owl. The long-eared owl may lay eggs in the ground, but that’s not common. The other owls found in the wild or bred in captivity don’t lay their eggs in the ground.
A Few Owls Lay Their Eggs in the Ground
Owls are at the top of their food chain, but a few smaller species are vulnerable to various predators.
Many larger owls are also territorial, so it’s unlikely to find multiple nests and roosting places in proximity.
These realities influence how and where owls lay their eggs.
Burrowing Owl
Despite being a raptor and a skilled hunter, burrowing owls have numerous predators, including the following:
- Falcons
- Hawks
- Snakes
- Dogs
- Cats
- Foxes
- Larger Owls
These owls lay their eggs in the ground, inside burrows. But it usually inhabits deserted burrows of other small and large animals, including the following:
- Badgers
- Ground squirrels
- Prairie dogs
Plus, burrowing owls can occupy artificial burrows.
Not only do burrowing owls lay their eggs in the ground, but they also prefer living in small colonies.
This practice is primarily a socio-defense mechanism so that 4 or 5 breeding pairs can protect their eggs and newborn owlets from predators.
Larger owls don’t have such a practice.
The eggs and chicks of burrowing owls are preyed upon by even some of the smaller animals that aren’t necessarily a menacing threat to the adults, such as:
- Badgers
- Skunks
- Weasels
Additionally, burrowing owls use different ways to protect their eggs in the ground and newborns in the burrows.
For instance, breeding pairs line their burrows or nests with dried manure. These owls also use feathers and other types of materials to protect the burrows.
Short Eared Owl
Most owls don’t build nests. Short-eared owls are among a few species that not only build nests but also lay their eggs in the ground.
The short-eared owl builds its nest on dry land, such as:
- Ridge
- Hummock
- Grassland
Short-eared owls use dead grass to make a scrape for a nest, while dense shrubs and tall grass are used as a natural refuge.
This species rarely nests or breeds away from the ground, so its eggs or babies are vulnerable to a few predators, including crows and foxes.
Snowy Owl
The snowy owl is a large species among these raptors, but it’s a native of the tundra.
There are no trees for the snowy owl to find cavities or nests deserted by other birds.
Thus, these owls spend most of their time in the open and also lay their eggs in the ground.
Their preferred nesting grounds are boulders and hummocks.
While the eggs or owlets of this species aren’t as vulnerable as those of burrowing or short-eared owls, the snowy raptor must find a safe place for its nest.
This means that snow-capped ground and flood-prone areas aren’t eligible.
Long Eared Owl
Long-eared owls don’t lay their eggs solely in the ground, nor do they build nests. They take over the nests built by other birds, including the following:
- Hawks
- Ravens
- Magpies
Many owls don’t use stick nests, but the long-eared species isn’t fussy, as it will use abandoned nests of squirrels, as well.
This flexibility enables long-eared owls to use anything from another bird’s nest on a tree to a hollow or burrow in the ground.
The only instance when long-eared owls lay their eggs in the ground is if they nest in a hollow or burrow.
Otherwise, these raptors lay eggs in nests several feet off the ground.
Sometimes, long-eared owls use tree cavities and artificial nests or sites to lay their eggs.
Owls That Don’t Lay Their Eggs in the Ground
A vast majority of the owls use either cavities in trees or nests of other birds to lay their eggs. The larger owls don’t just occupy abandoned nests.
They often invade others’ nests and push off those birds, including a few species of hawks.
Here’s a list of all the owls found in the United States that don’t lay their eggs in the ground:
- Barn owl: They use holes or cavities in trees, caves, cliffs or ledges, haystacks, steeples, or nesting boxes. Barn owls reuse the same nests or breeding sites for generations. The nest often has a base of owl pellets.
- Barred owl: They use large cavities in trees, including oak, maple, hemlock, or hickory. Barred owls also use nests built by others, i.e., squirrels, crows, ravens, and hawks. These owls may lay their eggs in artificial nest boxes, too.
- Boreal owl: This species’ favorite is a cavity or nest made by woodpeckers. However, it doesn’t mind laying eggs in nest boxes.
- Elf owl: They will use woodpecker nests or natural cavities in trees, including oak, sycamore, or cactus. The elf owl occupies abandoned nests, but it doesn’t evict other birds from their homes.
- Eastern screech owl: They use rotting or wind-damaged tree cavities, woodpecker holes, or squirrel drey. The western and eastern screech owl may lay eggs in nest boxes, mailboxes, and porches. But the whiskered screech owl prefers natural hollows and woodpecker holes.
- Flammulated owl: Their preferred nesting areas are natural cavities and woodpecker nests. Flammulated owls can take over other birds’ nests, including any eggs that may already be laid there.
- Pygmy owls: Natural cavities and woodpecker nests on trees are their preferred habitat. This species can lay its eggs in manufactured nest boxes. Neither ferruginous nor northern pygmy owls lay their eggs in the ground.
- Great gray owl: They use nests built by ravens, western gray squirrels, and other raptors. But the great gray owl may also lay its eggs in broken limbs or cavities in dead trees and nest boxes.
- Great horned owl: They use nests made by raptors like red-tailed hawks or crows, herons, and squirrels. Also, the great horned owl often lays its eggs in cavities, deserted buildings, cliffs, and ledges or platforms.
- Northern hawk owl: They use cavities or large holes and hollow tops of trees in deciduous and coniferous forests. But the northern hawk owl may not lay eggs if there isn’t enough prey.
- Northern saw-whet owl: They use woodpecker holes, cavities, and nest boxes. But these owls are unlikely to reuse the same nesting sites to lay eggs again in the subsequent season.
- Spotted owl: They will use a tree cavity, deformed or broken top or limb, and holes of a substantial size.
The spectacled owl isn’t a native, but some are bred and raised in captivity here. In the wild, a spectacled owl lays eggs in cavities.
However, this species uses nest boxes in captivity in zoos and conservatories.
Only three species of owls lay their eggs in the ground. The long-eared owl may do so in some cases.
But the other species found or bred in our country don’t lay their eggs in the ground.