Wild Encounters: Florida Burrowing Owls

One of the smallest species of owls, burrowing owls are about nine inches tall, so it is pretty hard for them to stand up and fight to save their habitat from development. That is why there have been many people as well as organizations that have made it their mission to help save the burrowing owls from destruction.

The movie “Hoot,” which did some filming on Boca Grande, was a movie based on Miami-based author Carl Hiaasen’s children’s book he wrote after he saw first-hand what was happening to the burrowing owls right in his own backyard in south Florida. His book was not simply just a children’s book with young characters; his book told the story of something real that was happening here in Florida right before his eyes. It told the story of how the burrowing owls were being destroyed because they were the only thing standing between big developers and the land they wanted to build on.

They are now on a protected species list under the heading of “candidate species” which were given the official listing, but there has not been enough date collected to give them full protection at this time. So there still are some being lost to the development process, but at least not at the speed they were being destroyed prior to their protected species listing.

Burrowing owls have white to beige spots and bars on their brown feathers. Unlike most owls where the female is larger than the male, that is not the case with burrowing owls. The sexes are the same size. They have long legs that help raise their height to give them a better vantage point for spotting predators as well as prey when they are standing on the ground. They do have several predators such as snakes, hawks, dogs, cats, raccoons and hawks.

These owls like to live in open areas that are sandy. They can be spotted in residential yards, airports and ball fields, as well as on golf courses around the state. They usually dig their own burrows but have been known to take over unused gopher tortoise burrows. They hunt mainly for insects, but they also hunt for small lizards, frogs, birds and snakes. You can hear their calls clearly. They have a variety of calls they use to communicate. They also bob their heads when they are excited or in distress.

I have friends who live in the Cape Coral area, and I have been able to get up close and personal with a pair of burrowing owls who have made their home just down the street in a neighbor’s yard for quite some time. I have shot several photos of them as I sat back and watched their daily behaviors. They are a beautiful bird and entertaining to watch.

They are more active in the daytime than most other owls, so they are easier to spot. Look for them in yards and open fields throughout the state. As with most wildlife, it is best to go looking for them just after daybreak and again just before nightfall. They can be approachable if you are slow and quiet with your movements, so have your camera ready to snap a few great photos of this mini sized owl.