Kusera updated version | Journal of the Zambezi Valley Extensions

Kusera updated version

By Peter Mulauzi

The Owl "Hoo" Loves Rangelands

Breeding = spring, summer
Habitat = grassland
Status = threatened

Scientific name: Athene cunicularia floridana

Common name: burrowing owl, ground owl

Habitat: Open-type habitats with short groundcover, including agricultural and urban areas.

Physical Description: Smaller owl with long legs, bright yellow eyes, and no ear tufts. Body length can reach 9 in and wing span 21 in.

Weight: 6 ounces

Reproductive Rate: 21–28 day incubation, 6–8 eggs, fledge around 12 weeks.

Lifespan: 6–8 years for western burrowing owls, unknown in Florida.

Dispersal & Home Range: Unknown for Florida populations, however, research currently being conducted.

History and Habitat: Owls were generally observed in the late 1800s on dry prairies in south-central Florida. The low, grassy vegetation of historic dry prairies was maintained by periodic flooding and natural fires. Today, few native dry prairie habitats remain because of fire suppression and conversion to human land uses. Burrowing owls have since expanded their natural breeding range and are now found mostly on agricultural fields, airports, ball fields, and residential lots.

Timeline of the history of the Burrowing Owl in Florida (1874-2017):

1874—First recorded observation of burrowing owls in Florida
1896—Changes in breeding habitat were observed for the first time
1938—Breeding range expansion recorded
1950—A decline in the owl population occurred at Kissimmee Prairie
1979—Burrowing owls in Florida were listed as a “species of major concern” by the FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)
1999—First census was conducted statewide but agricultural lands were not counted for
2013—Burrowing owls were recommended as a threatened species by the FWC
2017—Burrowing owls were officially listed as a threatened species

Distribution: Burrowing owls have expanded their range to north and south Florida due to human-induced landscape modifications. Their distribution is localized and spotty throughout peninsular Florida, with high concentrations occurring in urban SE coastal areas and Cape Coral. Small colonies have been found as far west as Eglin Air Force Base and as far south as the Dry Tortugas. Little is known about the distribution of burrowing owls on agricultural land, although owls are known to extensively use rangeland and other agricultural fields.

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