FILE: A burrowing owl soaks in the early-morning sun near Temecula on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022.

North America’s only ground-dwelling owl, the burrowing owl, is a tiny creature that weighs about as much as an apple. The diminutive birds have been ruffling feathers in the Bay Area of late as they make their winter home in Berkeley’s César Chávez Park, attracting off-leash dogs to their underground nests.

Now, Berkeley city staff have begun issuing verbal warnings to dog owners about potential tickets for off-leash dogs in the area the owls inhabit — a step back from threats of impounding off-leash dogs, writes Berkeleyside. So far, no tickets have been issued.

About 20 years ago, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rejected a bid to protect the species, but last month, the burrowing owl became an endangered........

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