The Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) is distinguished by its long legs, bright yellow eyes, and habit of living underground. Unlike many nocturnal relatives, this small owl is highly terrestrial and often active during the day, standing sentinel at the entrance of its burrow. These birds inhabit open landscapes across North and South America, relying on abandoned tunnels for shelter and nesting. A common question concerns the durability of their partnerships—whether they maintain the same mate across their lifespan.
Mating Fidelity and Pair Bonds
Burrowing Owls are socially monogamous, meaning a male and female pair bond and cooperate to raise their young for at least one breeding season. This arrangement involves joint territory defense and shared parental duties. The pair engages in courtship rituals upon reunion, which includes mutual preening, cooing, and the male presenting food to the female.
However, biological “monogamy” does not always mean absolute exclusivity. Genetic studies suggest that a low level of polygyny—a male mating with two females—occurs occasionally. While the bond is functional and socially apparent, the genetic parentage of the clutch may not always be solely from the paired male.
The Annual Breeding Cycle
The duration of the pair bond is closely tied to the annual reproductive cycle, which typically begins in early spring. The nesting season spans from February or March through August, with egg-laying occurring shortly after the pair establishes its burrow. For migratory populations in the northern range, the pair bond often dissolves after the young fledge and the adults disperse for the winter.
Upon returning to the breeding grounds the following spring, migratory individuals must find a new partner. In contrast, year-round residents, such as those in Florida or California, have a higher potential to maintain their pair bond. These resident pairs often remain near the previous season’s nest burrow for roosting during non-breeding months.
Shared Parental Responsibilities
Once a pair secures a burrow, often an abandoned tunnel from a prairie dog or ground squirrel, they divide the labor. The female is primarily responsible for incubation, remaining inside the burrow for the 28 to 30 days until the eggs hatch. During this period, she relies on her partner for sustenance.
The male acts as the primary hunter, bringing food to the female and standing guard outside the entrance. After the chicks hatch, the male continues to provide the majority of the food, delivering it to the female who feeds the newly hatched young.
As the young grow, the female begins to leave the burrow more frequently to assist the male with hunting. This coordinated effort is necessary because the large clutch size, which can range from two to twelve eggs, requires a substantial food supply. The necessity of this two-parent system reinforces the strength of the seasonal pair bond.
Factors Influencing Pair Stability
Whether Burrowing Owls “mate for life” depends on factors that encourage the pair to reunite in subsequent seasons. High site fidelity—the tendency to return to the same general breeding area or burrow—is a major predictor of pair reunion. If both owls return to a successful previous nesting site, they are highly likely to pair up again.
Successful breeding strongly encourages pair reunion, a phenomenon known as “mate fidelity.” Studies show that pairs experiencing nest failure are significantly more likely to “divorce” and disperse than those that successfully raised young. If one partner dies, the surviving owl is also more likely to disperse and seek a new mate and nesting site.