Where to Find Owls in Florida’s Diverse Habitats
If you are not familiar with Florida, after reading about the Burrowing Owls of Florida, you might think it is the only owl we have living here. Florida is over 500 miles long from north to south and anywhere from 60 -160 miles wide. So as you can imagine we have a wide climate and habitat range. Florida has quite a remarkable variety of owls, each one adapting to the state’s diverse habitat. We have dense forest, as well as densely populated areas, and we have prairie-like habitat and suburban neighborhoods. The owls that live in Florida play an essential role in maintaining a balanced eco system. We have seven species of owls that call Florida home, and an occasional stray that makes a surprise visit. As you might have surmised, the most popular owl living here is the Burrowing Owl, (Athene Cunicularia Floridana). These charismatic little owls are the jewel of the state. While most owls are nocturnal, Burrowing Owls, to the delight of visitors, are easily seen during the day. They are year-round residents (who would want to leave Florida?) and are mostly found in Cape Coral, one of the largest urban populations in the state. The second most common owl found in Florida is the Great Horned Owl, the largest found in the state. It is found throughout Florida, and even densely populated Cape Coral. It is one of the most familiar owls with its tufts of feather on top of its head. If you hear an owl hooting, it is a Great Horned Owl. Found mostly in the forested areas is the Barred Owl with its distinctive “Who cooks for you?” call. It is more often found northern and central Florida. Then there is the Eastern Screech-Owl, small owl often confused with a Burrowing Owl. These little guys like to nest in hollowed out trees and are a master of camouflage. It is found throughout the bastate and even on porch lights in Cape Coral. The Barn Owl, with its unusual iconic heart-shaped face likes the open fields and agricultural areas of the state. Less often seen are the Short-eared Owl and the Northern Saw-whet Owl, which make an occasional visit to the state. Getting to see any of these owls is a special treat, From the largest to the smallest they are reminders of one part of the natural beauty found in Florida.
The Enigmatic Eyes and Quirky Habits of Cape Coral’s Burrowing Owls
Explore Cape Coral, Florida’s burrowing owl world, and be awed by their unique traits and behaviors. Beverly Ahlering Saltonstall’s “Cape Coral Burrowing Owls Don’t Hoot” is devoted to these birds’ beautiful eyes. Florida burrowing owls have lemon-yellow to nearly black eyes. Burrowing owls have binocular vision and can see distance and depth in three dimensions because their eyes face forward. They are excellent night hunters because of their keen eyesight. Owls’ huge eyes show they depend on vision for hunting. Their eyes have evolved into highly specialized tools over millions of years. Burrowing owls have moving tubular eyes, unlike most birds. This modification makes their eyes better at hunting. The cornea is the first lens and transparent layer covering an owl’s eye. Controlling and focusing light, it guides it to the lens. The iris, a muscular diaphragm, controls pupil size and light intake. Finding that an owl’s hunting style matches its eye color is intriguing. Black-eyed owls, like the Barred Owl, can blend in better because they hunt at night. Yellow-eyed owls, like the Burrowing Owls, hunt during the day. Florida Burrowing Owls’ eyes aren’t colored like this. They hunt at night as well as day, as shown by a night vision camera. These non-migratory owls breed together, possibly explaining the recessive gene that changes eye color. Burrowing Owls’ large pupils, which improve night vision, are intriguing. Light is absorbed by the retina and converted into brain signals to create images, like in humans. Owls and other night-active animals have the tapetum lucidum, a membrane behind the retina that reflects light. This improves night vision and gives them the unsettling “eye shine.” Making gaps, Raptors and other owls have three eyelids. One has a nictitating membrane that lets them see but keeps their eyes wet. Their unique ability to determine distance comes from parallax, where they turn their entire head to view objects differently. Besides their incredible eyes, the book discusses how they nest and reproduce. Burrowing Owls are lifelong partners and have unique mate selection methods. Beverly Saltonstall’s “Cape Coral Burrowing Owls Don’t Hoot” takes us to the fascinating world of burrowing owls. Unique behaviors and eyes reveal their complex lives. The fascinating behaviors of these birds in Florida’s wilds always amaze and delight observers. Order the book today on Amazon.