Different birds have different preferences for their habitat, whether that’s based on the availability of food, migratory patterns, or simply because the weather conditions are well suited for their survival. Though for some species, it is a culmination of these and many other reasons combined that they settle in a place and call it their home for generations to come. Cape Coral, Florida, found itself home to many rare species of many different animals long before the first people came in and found it suitable and up to standard for their own living conditions.
Beverly Saltonstall’s Cape Coral Burrowing Owls Don’t Hoot tells the origins, history, and everything you need to know about the feathered residents of Cape Coral —burrowing owls. The burrowing owls are a sub-species of owls that once migrated from the interior of Florida to the city on the Gulf of Mexico and settled here years ago. Cape Coral, without a doubt, has the largest population of burrowing owls in the world.
The sandy grounds of Cape Coral are a perfect fit for these creatures since they dwell on the ground and make their nests, otherwise known as burrows, in soft and sandy lands deep in the ground. Getting their names from the burrowing habit, their camouflaging abilities are near perfect. They oftentimes escape the naked eye completely because of the way their sandy coloring blends in so well with their surroundings, giving them the opportunity to escape the perceived danger.
Although sometimes this raises problems as well, because of their small size, their burrows are well hidden and often stepped on, destroying the burrow along with the unhatched eggs. For this reason, the residents of Cape Coral, along with Saltonstall herself, started a campaign that saw every burrow in the city marked with PVC pipes and took measures for the protection of these friendly birds.
Cape Coral Burrowing Owls Don’t Hoot by Beverly Saltonstall is an encyclopedic book written with the aim of spreading as much information about the lovely burrowing owls as possible and satisfying bird lovers with the thorough details and facts compiled together after years of searching. The book is now available on the official website and on Amazon.