The hunter is also the hunted

We always picture hawks, eagles and owls as hunters; certainly they are efficient predators. What we often do not think of is that some of them are also hunted as prey. This is a Burrowing Owl, a small ground-dwelling diurnal owl. Insects, spiders, lizards and occasionally small rodents and even birds are its natural prey. Its primary predator are hawks, both buteos and accipters. This bird lives very close to a popular walking trail in a coastal wetland reserve in San Diego, CA. Literally 100’s of people walk by and look at this bird from a distance of less than 20′ every day. Does not bother the owl in the least. However let a shadow from a passing gull or any other bird pass over and the diminutive owl will duck for its nearby burrow in a flash. She spends about 25% of her time scanning the sky.