Population density of the western burrowing owl ( Athene cunicularia hypugaea ) in Mexican prairie dog ( Cynomys mexicanus ) colonies in northeastern Mexico

Background The western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) occurs throughout western North America in various habitats such as desert, short-grass prairie and shrub-steppe, among others, where the main threat for this species is habitat loss. Range-wide declines have prompted a need for reliable estimates of its populations in Mexico, where the size of resident and migratory populations remain unknown.