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Over a dozen volunteers pitched in Feb. 21 for the annual cleaning of Energy Northwest’s artificial burrowing owl habitats. The volunteers, which included EN employees, their spouses and children, and retirees inspected and cleaned the burrows before the migratory owls return to begin their spring nesting.

Burrowing owls are listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Washington state and is being evaluated as a candidate for the state endangered species list. Sightings of the owls outside of Benton, Franklin, Grant and western Adams counties are rare.

Contrary to their name, the Western burrowing owl does not dig its own burrows but rather takes up residence in burrows left behind by ground squirrels, prairie dogs, foxes, badgers and coyotes. As habitat for these mammals shrinks so does the available abandoned burrows for the burrowing owls. The shrub-steppe habitat and open grassland of southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon provides ideal nesting grounds and ample sources of food for the owls.

Energy Northwest partnered with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in 2012 to install nine sets of burrows along Pumphouse Road at Columbia Generating Station and employees have maintained them since 2016.

Each set includes two burrows — one the owls use for nesting and the other where they store their food supplies — and a low perch where the owls watch for predators. Volunteers created each artificial burrow from half of a 55-gallon drum and a 5-gallon bucket serves as a maintenance hatch. A 6-inch tube leading from the drum gives the owl access. The burrows are buried to look like normal animal burrows.