BURROWING OWLS OF CAPE CORAL

 

Warning!   Cute Overload Ahead.  

 

We went owl hunting one afternoon last weekend — armed with only a camera of course.

We found six burrows as we traveled around the City of Cape Coral.   The Cape is home to the world's largest population of  the Florida species of burrowing owls.  (This species of pint-sized owls is found only in and around Florida and the Bahamas.)  

 

 

This Burrowing Owl is one of the smallest of all the owls, with adults weighing  in at five to eight ounces and measuring 7 to 11 inches tall.

 

 

If you think the  adult Burrowing Owl  in the picture above is sweet, look out below.    

 

 

  

Here's one of the babies.   I warned you!

While the Western species of these owls live in abandoned prairie dog burrows, "ours" dig their own burrows.   The Cape Coral owls do not migrate but often hide during the summer to avoid the hot summer sun.  The best time to see the chicks is late April through June.

 

 

Double the Cuteness

 

The very best thing about these owls, as far as I am concerned, is that they are out during the day.   Please do know that the  camera we were "armed" with on this photo shoot has a very good zoom lens.  We were respectful of the owls and their space.   That can be a problem for birds that nest on the ground like these do.

 

Whether  looking at you, sleeping, or turning their backs, these little owls are cute cute cute.

 

 

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  Linking to: NATURE NOTES (thank you Michelle);  OUR WORLD on Tuesday (thank you to Lady Fi, Gattina, Arija, Sylvia, and Sandy; and to WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY (thank you Stewart).

   

(I couldn't stop taking pictures on this photo hunt, so if you've recovered from this cute overload by Wednesday, come back to  see a follow-up post with more information about the owls and how they are protected.)