When thinking about birds, oftentimes people dismiss them as boring and mundane, saying things like “all birds are the same” or “a bird is a bird; what’s new about them?” Well, that certainly isn’t the case for Cape Coral, a city in Florida housing several types of interesting creatures, one of which is the burrowing owl. This owl species exhibits some of the most distinct characteristics that many species of birds don’t. Beverly Saltonstall talks about a specific sub-species of owl in her book, Cape Coral Burrowing Owls Don’t Hoot.
Saltonstall, in her encyclopedic book, writes about burrowing owls and their history, origins, personalities, and the habitat that they prefer. She details many different aspects of the species in a way that makes it easier for the reader to understand and get to know these friendly birds in an intriguing manner.
Talking about the growth and development of burrowing owls, Saltonstall tells the readers about the journey that this particular species of owl makes, from the hatching of their eggs to their adult lives. Describing how the owlets, which hatch from the eggs, take several days to do so, just as the laying of eggs does. But once the chick breaks out of the eggs, the difference between each of them is easy to observe.
Beverly was lucky enough to witness owlets hatching on her own front lawn. The newly hatched owlets are covered with grayish-white downy feathers that eventually change to sandy brown. Burrowing owls are protective of their young, mostly keeping them to themselves until the next two seasons, teaching them the significant skills needed for their survival. The parental owls make sure to keep enough food in the burrow to ensure the survival of their youngest and last-hatched owlets. The growth process of these owls is as fascinating to witness as any other natural phenomenon, and Beverly Saltonstall makes it all the more accessible with her book, Cape Coral Burrowing Owls Don’t Hoot, now available on Amazon and the official website.