Driving around Marco Island yesterday, took this photo of this little cute Burrowing Owl.

Florida’s dwindling population of burrowing owls is having trouble finding homes......So, one island town is letting the birds stay in residents’ yards, rent-free. Those humans can then pocket an easy $250 for being generous landlords. Back in 2020, the Marco Island City Council agreed to set aside $5,000 every year to pay residents who host burrows for the vulnerable birds. Wildlife crews will dig the holes, and then it’s up to the owls to move in.

Since the grant was approved, Audobon Biologist Alli Smith and her staff have been inundated with calls from excited Marco Islanders ready to adopt. “Most people I’ve talked to on the phone didn’t care about the money,” she said. “People just want owls in their yards.”

About 500 burrowing owls live on Marco Island, but they’re exceedingly rare in the rest of the state. Since fall 2017, the team has dug out 92 “starter burrows.” Owls have visited and lived in about one-third of them, she said. About 14 of the burrows have been “fully excavated” by owls, which means the owls visited, liked it, and built a series of tunnels to establish a permanent residence.

The island’s burrowing owls have adapted to their human neighbors, compared to rural burrowers that avoid human contact. You can drive around Marco Island and see many outlined burrows on vacant lots, commercial establishments and private residences, some even in the ROW's......Cheers