Burrowing owls find a
home in Horse Country
BY ROBERT MORRISON
Horse Country is considered by many to be a
special place in West Kendall with horses, livestock and plant nurseries.
Unknown to many people is another group of residents, the burrowing owls
that call the area home.
The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is
found in many places throughout North and South America. Florida is
probably the most removed in terms of climate from any of the owl's other
habitats.
Dr. Mark Kraus, deputy state director of
the National Audubon Society, for Florida, believes that this may be
because of the similarity of many of Florida's land types to other more
arid regions of the continent.
The birds grow to no taller than about nine
inches, usually weighing around four ounces, about the same as a big bag
of potato chips.
Many things about the burrowing owl make it
unique as far as owls go. Their size is considerably smaller than other
owl species; they are the only ones to live in the ground; they lay white
eggs, and they make a rattlesnake sound when approached threateningly.
The birds choose wide, open, flat spaces
for their nests, which give them an unobstructed horizon and thus more
visibility. They often employ nearby trees or structures to broaden the
horizon a bit more. Their greatest enemy, however, is the disappearance of
their habitat -- common as development increases.
"I have a real concern that habitat
loss is continuing and that that might be a real problem for the birds.
Their habitat is being lost at a rather rapid rate," Dr. Kraus said.
Burrowing owls were designated a
"Species of Special Concern" by the Bureau of Non-game Wildlife,
Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission in 1979. The designation
means that care must be taken and much attention given to prevent the
birds from becoming threatened or endangered. The birds are currently
designated Endangered in Canada.
As a Species of Special Concern, it is
against state law to pursue, hunt, capture,
molest or intentionally kill or wound a burrowing owl or its eggs.
Violations of these laws could bring up to $500 in fines and 60 days in
jail for a first offense, and up to a $50,000 fine and one year in jail
for repeats.
The bird and its nests also are protected
federally by the Federal Migratory Bird Act. Other laws govern building
safely on a site containing an owl burrow, establishing that the burrows
must be given a minimum 50-foot clearance on all sides.
Sherry Gillis, who operates a boarding barn
in Horse Country, has several burrowing owls enjoying co-residence on her
property. Gillis said that for 42 years that she knows of, burrowing owls
have always been on or around the property. She has placed overturned lawn
chairs near the burrows to give the birds something to perch on.
"I'm sure there are lots of them out
there that people don't even know about," she said.
Gillis believes many of the developers that
have most recently tried to move into the little agricultural area of
Miami-Dade have had no knowledge of the protected animals, or just have
not cared.
"[Horse Country] is a very unique
place, and they're shrinking the neighborhood."
It's a neighborhood Dr. Kraus called
"ideal" for burrowing owl habitation.
The owls can be found throughout the
county. There are many burrows in David T. Kennedy Park in Coconut Grove,
open areas of west Homestead and even at Miami International Airport. But,
Horse Country is one of the only residential areas where the birds can be
commonly found.
For more information about burrowing owls
in Forida, call the Florida Audubon Society at 305-371-6399, or visit the
Web site at <www.audubon.usf.edu>.
There are many Web sites dedicated to birds of prey, and to the burrowing
owl specifically, including <www.burrowingowl.com>
which is Canada-based, and <www.adoptabird.org>
which has information on many birds.
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