It is not an unlikely occurrence for animals to migrate to a different place when the seasons change. Different groups of animals —whether they are terrestrial, aquatic, or aerial— have different requirements regarding their habitat. The main reason for migration for any species is the change that seasons and weather bring to their habitat. Some migrate in one large group, while others tend to travel in smaller ones. Though not every animal group does this, instead they build resistance to the changes that nature brings and adopt
One of the migratory species, or rather a sub-species of birds, is the burrowing owl. Beverly Ahlering Saltonstall talks about these wonderfully intriguing species in her book, Cape Coral Burrowing Owls Don’t Hoot. Some birds are forced to migrate, while others choose to do so for their own comfort. In the case of the burrowing owls, the migration was mostly out of necessity.
At one time, the United States had a large population of Burrowing Owls but for many reasons, these birds are now listed as threatened or endangered in several states. Construction, pesticides, agriculture, prairie dog burrows, and real estate are some of the reasons that the owls had to migrate to more suitable and safe places.
Cape Coral, a city in Florida bordering the Gulf of Mexico, was one place where, due to construction, much of the wildlife there lost their habitat. Forcing them to find new homes. This massive loss of habitat created a habitat that was perfect for the burrowing owls. The golden brown, soft sand, and expansive empty land was perfect for them to dig their burrows. The affordable housing and water access was also perfect for the human who migrated south for warmer weather and lots of sunshine.It was the perfect habitat for both.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for the burrowing owls in other areas, especially out west. After research, it was found that in many places there are limited places for the owls to dig their burrows. Kansas, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah, Iowa, Minnesota, California, South Dakota, and Oregon are some of the other places where the burrowing owl’s nest is concerningly threatened or endangered.
Statistics show that all of Canada has about 2000 Burrowing Owls while the City of Cape Coral alone has between 2500 and 3500 Burrowing Owls. Blessed with a perfect habitat and a dedicated group of volunteers with the mission to preserve all the endangered and other species that reside in Cape Coral along with the human residents the owls are thriving. Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife has campaigned to make the Burrowing Owl the official city bird and bring awareness to the need to protect this threatened species. The city of Cape Coral follows strict guidelines set in place but the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as well as the federal Fish and Wildlife Service.
Beverly Ahlering Saltonstall’s Cape Coral Burrowing Owls Don’t Hoot goes into more detail, presenting fun facts, accurate figures, and statistics regarding burrowing owls in an interesting yet informative manner to keep the readers entertained and well-informed. The book is now available on Amazon and the official website.