Which owl is the only bird known to nest regularly in abandoned prairie-dog burrows?

The burrowing owl is the only bird known to nest regularly in abandoned prairie-dog burrows.

Unlike most owls, it spends much of its time on or near the ground and commonly uses underground burrows for shelter and nesting. In North America, prairie dogs are important burrow creators, but burrowing owls also use burrows made by badgers, ground squirrels, and other animals.

Burrowing owls are small, long-legged owls with bright yellow eyes. They are active during both day and night, especially around dawn and dusk. Their diet includes insects, rodents, lizards, and small birds.

The species is threatened in many areas because grasslands are converted to agriculture or development and colonial mammals decline. The phrase “only bird” refers to regular nesting dependence on prairie-dog burrows, not to every occasional use of underground cavities by birds. Several other animals also share or reuse these burrows.