Burrowing owls up for adoption

Article Date: 2009-09-28   Source: http://www.nbc-2.com   Comments: 0

LEE COUNTY: A Cape Coral wildlife group says burrowing owls need help from the community to survive.

The group is adopting the birds to residents who can care for them beginning on Sunday.

Burrowing owls are Cape Coral's city bird and they are also endangered.

Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife says without resident's help with nest upkeep, the birds could disappear.

"We need to keep them in the Cape. They're good for the environment. They eat bugs, they're friendly, they're amusing, they're comical", says Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife volunteer, Burnadette McNee.

The City of Cape Coral recently used federal grant money to survey the entire city for nests.

They found 2,800 nests, that is higher than any other city in Florida.

Cape Coral resident, Beth Richmond, says she has counted 15 burrowing owl nests on her block.

She says many of those nests are overgrown and not maintained.

On Sunday, Richmond became the first Cape Coral resident to officially adopt a few nearby owl nests.

"It's important. I don't want them to come extinct like many other birds are doing. It doesn't take much time, just a few minutes to help," Richmond says.

Richmond will make sure the nests on her block are well-maintained by trimming the grass around them by hand.

Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife has always maintained the owl nests, but with this many, they decided to reach out to the community for assistance.

Burrowing owls begin mating in October, and by January they begin nesting.

Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife say as long as there are volunteers willing to adopt a nest, the owls should stick around town.

After volunteers get done maintaining the nest, they should step away and allow the owl to return.

"He will probably bob his head up and down and say thank you for taking care of my house, that's how cute they are," said McNee.

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