WILD FLORIDA
THE FLORIDA BURROWING OWL CAPE CORAL’S CLAIM TO FAME
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Written by: Kathy Ann Gregg
he Sunshine State is home to many species of birds that are found nowhere else, but one of the cutest ones is the Athene cunicularia floridan—the Florida burrowing owl.
Small, long-legged owls that average 9 inches in height, they have large yellow eyes and a white chin. Their body color pattern helps them blend in with the vegetation in their habitat. The owls sport brown-black feathers with patches of white spots, and a white underside with brown bar-shaped spots. Florida burrowing owls live in open, treeless areas and spend most of their time on the ground. Unlike other owls, they are active during the daytime (diurnal) rather than at night (nocturnal) throughout their breeding season, which typically runs from about Feb. 15 to July 10. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, “During the non-breeding season, they become more nocturnal.” These owls can dig their own nests but they often use the burrows of gopher tortoises or armadillos, whose burrows can run as long as 10 feet. The female Florida burrowing owl will lay up to eight eggs within a week’s time period, which she will then incubate for up to 28 days. The male stands guard over the burrow for hours at a time. The hatchlings are white-feathered and do not appear outside of the nest for two weeks. Flying lessons start when they are 4 weeks old. However, they will not fly well until they are approximately 6 weeks of age. These juveniles stay with the parents until they are able to sustain themselves, which is usually around 12 weeks of age. The city of Cape Coral, in Southwest Florida’s Lee County, has the well-deserved nickname of “The Burrowing Owl Capital of the World.” With some 2,500 burrows located within the city limits, there are estimated to be 1,000 breeding pair that reside there. Thus it comes as no surprise that the city of Cape Coral adopted the Athene cunicularia floridan as the “Official City Bird” at its city council meeting on Sept. 6, 2005.
Birders and photographers from throughout the world visit Cape Coral annually to view these tiny and easily seen creatures. City officials and the local Friends of Wildlife have published Rules of Engagement/ Viewing Etiquette. The rules are basically common sense—keep your distance from the owls, and do not feed the owls—and are necessary for the wellbeing of this state-threatened species. It boggles the mind that the “Do Not Feed” rule has to be further explained with the following information: The diet of the Florida burrowing owl “consists of mice, roaches, small snakes, anoles and frogs, and NOT crackers, peanuts, granola bars or McDonald’s French fries.” Be sure to add the viewing of Florida’s smallest owl to your bucket list. And, of course, be sure to follow Rules of Engagement/Viewing Etiquette to help them thrive! FCM
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F LO R I D A C O U NTRY A p r i l | M a y 2 0 2 1
PHOTOS THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE BY KATHY ANN GREGG
The scientific name of this cute avian comes from the Greek word “athene,” which refers to the Greek goddess of wisdom whose favorite bird was—you guessed it!—the owl, and the Latin word “cunicularia.” That means a miner or burrower.
