The Burrowing Owls of Marco Island

These special owls burrow down in open spaces and vacant lots throughout the island, and these burrows cannot be removed unless a special permit is obtained. Once an owl settles into a burrow, they’ll return to that same burrow year after year. Burrows can be as large as three feet deep and 5-12 feet long! The owls live on the island all year long and breed from February through July. Once a burrowing owl finds a partner, they mate for life!

Burrowing owls might seem like a disturbance to the urban population, but it’s actually quite the opposite. These birds are helpful because they can eat rodents and amphibians, as well as insects like mole crickets and roaches. They hunt during the night and the day, which is a major difference from other owl species that are strictly nocturnal.