Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail's monthly newsletter
sends:

Have you seen a Florida burrowing owl? They are such a fascinating
bird so it came as no surprise when our Google analytics indicated it was the
most popular bird on our website.

http://FloridaBirdingTrail.com/

Burrowing owls, as their name implies, make their homes underground. There are
two populations of burrowing owl in the United States; the Western and Florida.
The western subspecies found west of the Mississippi River takes advantage of
abandoned prairie dog tunnels to make their home. The Florida subspecies
excavates their own but will sometimes use burrows created by gopher tortoises
and armadillos.

They live as single breeding pairs or in loose colonies of two or more families.
Unlike most owls they can be active throughout the day and are often seen
standing guard at the entrance to their burrow.

In Florida, burrowing owls typically nest in March but they have been known to
nest any time between October and May. Females lay up to 8 eggs and incubate
them for about 4 weeks. Once hatched the young rely on their parents care for 12
weeks and cannot fly until they’re about 6 weeks old.

They’re fed insects, small lizards, frogs, snakes, rodents and even small birds.

The Florida burrowing owl is classified as a “species of special concern” by the
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They are protected by the
federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Historically, the burrowing owl occupied the prairies of central Florida. In
recent times these populations have decreased due to habitat loss but in south
Florida the population has increased due to modification of habitat in developed
areas. Burrowing owls can be found on golf courses, pastures, airports, ball
fields, and in residential areas.