I’ve been hoping to photograph a Burrowing Owl for a long time, but I figured I’d have to drive to Southwest Florida to see one. So I was surprised to come across one recently in Osceola County.
I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised. Yes, these ground-dwelling, 9-inch tall owls do have good-sized population in the Cape Coral area, but their range in the state does include Central Florida. It’s just that they are more rare here.
“Florida’s smallest owl species is primarily found in Peninsular Florida with isolated populations in the Panhandle and Keys,” Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says. “Burrowing Owls can be found in open areas with short vegetation. The owls use burrows, which are typically 5-10 feet long, for nesting and shelter.”
Florida is the only U.S. state east of the Mississippi where you can find these owls. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the places where Burrowing Owls are listed as a threatened species. The reason? They’re losing their habitat here.
“The burrowing owl faces many threats to its population. The main threat is the continued loss of habitat,” FWC says. “Threats to habitat include construction activities development and harassment by humans and domesticated animals. … Other threats include increased predation by ground and aerial predators in the burrowing owl’s habitat, and vehicle strikes.”
I felt extremely lucky to have seen this little owl, and I’ve already visited it a second times. I hope I can see more of it in the months ahead.
