LOUISIANA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

REPORT FORM

1. English and Scientific names: Burrowing Owl, Athene cunicularia

2. Number of individuals, sexes, ages, general plumage (e.g., 2 in alternate plumage):  1

3. Locality: LOUISIANA: (parish)  Cameron

Specific Locality: about 4.5 miles west of community of Holly Beach

4. Date(s) when observed: 20 August 2011

5. Time(s) of day when observed: about 2:15 pm

6. Reporting observer and address:

Paul Conover

Lafayette, LA

7. Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):

8. Other observers who independently identified the bird(s):

9. Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): Sunny, very bright on beach but not to exclusion of identifying the bird or documenting it with photos.   

10. Optical equipment (type, power, condition): Zeiss 10s, Nikon D50 or D20 (300 mm lens). 

11. Distance to bird(s): 40 yards, perhaps

12. Duration of observation: ca. 5 minutes 

13. Habitat: Gulf beach south of highway 82.  The bird was perched on trash in a wrack line composed of darkened washed up sargassum (or similar) between Gulf and highway. 

14. Behavior of bird / circumstances of observation:  I was driving by and saw a bird perched on the horizontal with its legs bent but visible beneath the body.  I thought to myself that it looked like a Burrowing Owl, and I U-turned immediately, but I expected the bird to be some other species perched in an awkward position that resembled a Burrowing Owl.  However, it was a Burrowing Owl. 

The bird was facing E perched on a small pile of trash piled a little higher than the remainder of the wrack.  It shifted its body 180 degrees when I pulled up alongside it.  It let its right wing droop from time to time, and had its mouth open as if panting.  It remained on the same perch through the 5-minute long observation and was still there when I passed back by again 5 minutes later.    

15. Description (include only what was actually seen, not what "should" have been seen; include if possible: total length/relative size compared to other familiar species, body bulk, shape, proportions, bill, eye, leg, and plumage characteristics. Stress features that separate it from similar species):

A small, squat owl with yellow or yellowish eyes, a whitish face and white brow ridge.  Overall plumage color was a warm brown, with horn or similar color to bill (pale).  Speckling above created by lateral barring, whitish or pale brownish, across dorsal feathering.  Pale bars were narrow, perhaps ½ to 1/3 the width (length, actually) of the intervening bars of ground color.  Primaries projected beyond tail tip.   

16. Voice: None noted 

17. Similar species (include how they were eliminated by your observation):

None from this continent.    

18. Photographs or tape recordings obtained? (by whom? attached?): Photos, attached.    

19. Previous experience with this species: Pretty substantial.  Numerous birds in LA over 3 decades, and pretty extensive experience in their western range.    

20. Identification aids: (list books, illustrations, other birders, etc. used in identification):

a. at time of observation:

b. after observation:

21. This description is written from: memory and stills.  

22. Are you positive of your identification if not, explain: Yes.

23. Date: 8/31/2011