Western Burrowing Owls are a unique, charismatic species. Standing at only 8-10 inches tall, they live in the ground, utilizing holes dug by other animals. They are also the only owl species to live in groups–forming something of a neighborhood watch. Like all owls, they can rotate their head up to 270 degrees to amplify the precise origin of a sound. They have no teeth, but they are carnivorous, eating insects, lizards, etc. They hunt both day and night and have the trickster ability to mimic the sound of a rattlesnake to ward off grazing animals to keep them from trampling their den. They historically occupied the grasslands of the State Park.

Western Burrowing Owls are proposed for listing on the California Endangered Species Act. This makes them a candidate for protection, but until the research and studies are completed and a vote is made by the California Fish and Game Commission, they are afforded all of the special protections now.