Bird Deaths Stir Oversight for US Wind Power Oct 8, 2007
The yearly death toll included more than 100 golden eagles plus red-tailed hawks, burrowing owls, kestrels and meadowlarks, according to the Audubon Society. FPL Energy, the largest US wind energy company, and other developers at Altamont Pass are working to cut bird deaths in half by 2009 and joining with the Audubon Society and local government to come up with a long-term environmental protection plan, said Elizabeth Murdock, executive director of Golden Gate Audubon. (Planet Ark, United States)
Farmers, prairie dogs dig legal holes for KDWP Sep 26, 2007
He wants to keep the prairie dogs to attract other species such as burrowing owls, snakes, turtles and other amphibians, reptiles and birds that live in prairie dog holes. The use of Phostoxin is in question because it kills these other species when used. (Pratt Tribune, KS)
Environmentalists cross the line Sep 5, 2007
The title of the article was "Ohlone to spend nest egg on homes for owls." Seven burrowing owls had made a home on the land where the college was to build. With their population declining, the owls are considered a "species of special concern" by the California Department of Fish and Game, meaning Ohlone is responsible for finding the owls a new home, and not just any home will do. (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
Ranchers blast prairie dog management Aug 22, 2007
Swift foxes, burrowing owls, ferruginous hawks and other animals depend on prairie dogs for food or depend on their burrows for shelter, they said. "With no science to back their claims, the Forest Service is preparing to needlessly eradicate numerous species that make their home in the national grasslands," Steve Forrest of the World Wildlife Fund said in a written statement. (Rapid City Journal, SD)
FDA rules foster underground resistance Aug 16, 2007
The animals are hunted by golden eagles, coyotes, foxes, burrowing owls, and prairie rattlers. "It's a rough life for a prairie dog," said Bob Mathews, spokesman for Prairie Dog State Park in Kansas. (Boston Globe)
Loud cheer for Goring of the Bulls Jul 29, 2007
One day I noticed that a family of adorable (at the risk of sounding anthropomorphic) little burrowing owls had set up camp between the sidewalk and a vacant field adjacent to the 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara. Clever little buggers, their burrow went from the edge of the field under the sidewalk, where they would retreat to safety when people approached. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Sports)
Burrowing owl finally gets its wings and lands in zoo Jun 23, 2007
And here it was, still in Gillette long after its fellow burrowing owls had left for warmer climes. And it couldn t fly. (Gillette News-Record, WY)
more reader opinions Jun 19, 2007
The loss of once-common Bay Area birds, such as California Quail, Spotted Towhees, Wrentits, Yellow Warblers and Burrowing Owls, may not be obvious in our daily lives, but it is another sure sign and warning of how our natural world is diminishing. The good news is that bird populations can revive, if their habitat is restored, and there are simple things we can all do to help them survive. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Opinion)
South Miami doc swears by her Botox May 9, 2007
The high comedy that sets his novels in motion is born of a deep-seated anger that the alligators, burrowing owls, and blue-tongued mango voles (all prominent players in the Hiaasen universe) have been replaced by vicious predators -- lobbyists, land developers, and lawyers. . (The Miami Herald)
Wild Buffalo Relocate To Rocky Mountain Arsenal Mar 19, 2007
"The short grass left by grazing bison is ideal habitat for prairie dog colonies, which in turn provide habitat and prey for rare species such as burrowing owls, hawks and swift foxes," said Jonathan Proctor of Defenders of Wildlife. "Bison also add nutrients to the soil and create wallows which can attract several types of birds.". (CBS 4, CO)
OUTDOOR BRIEFS Mar 18, 2007
Other predators that hunt burrowing owls include hawks, the peregrine falcon and great horned owls. Advertisement. (Las Vegas Review-Journal -- Life)
Wild observations: Whoopers and White-Tailed Kites Mar 16, 2007
The group hadn't managed to see any burrowing owls, purple gallinules, red-cockaded woodpeckers or brown-headed nuthatches or white-tailed kites. The trip leader didn't give up, and as we returned along the back roads past pastures, pines and cypress trees, he caught sight of a bird that got everyone stopping their cars and jumping out to look. (Williston Pioneer, FL)
What is Boulder thinking? Mar 14, 2007
Abandoned prairie dog burrows are frequently used as homes by burrowing owls, white-tailed rabbits, badgers, weasels, snakes, and even foxes. As a prey base, the prairie dog supports a wide variety of species including the swift fox, the coyote, weasels, snakes, hawks, eagles, and the endangered black-footed ferret. (Boulder Colorado Daily, CO)
City makes a ewe turn: Sheep brought in to trim burrowing owls’ habitat Mar 14, 2007
City makes a ewe turn: Sheep brought in to trim burrowing owls habitat ... The livestock were put in place to keep down weeds and tall grasses, the better for the burrowing owls, for whom the habitat was preserved ... Burrowing owls do much better when the weeds are short, said Mitch Sears, the city s open space coordinator. (Davis Enterprise, CA)
Roses & raspberries Mar 2, 2007
give or take a couple of burrowing owls. Lake Elsinore council members were disturbed that their share of the shelter costs is greater than that of some of their larger neighbors. (North County Times)
Owls aside, shelter ready to go Mar 1, 2007
Two burrowing owls were recently spotted at the site proposed for the shelter near Mission Trail and Corydon Street in Wildomar ... Burrowing owls are known to nest underground in burrows dug by mammals, such as ground squirrels, or in manmade structures, such as cement culverts. (North County Times)
Continue reading Feb 24, 2007
"We have what is considered to be the largest breeding population of burrowing owls in the Central Valley," Crane said ... To help protect the burrowing owls, Crane instituted a nestbox program. (Hanford Sentinal, CA)
Planters hope to lure wildlife Feb 17, 2007
"We're hoping," said Albers, "if we build it, they'll come."By "they," Albers meant the San Joaquin kit fox, kangaroo rats, ground squirrels, burrowing owls, cottontails, jackrabbits, snakes -- a variety of species that have called the Central Valley home for hundreds of years. Not that any of those critters have forsaken the area. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Tracy hotel workers save injured burrowing owl, a species whose numbers are on decline in state Jan 27, 2007
He said he used to spot burrowing owls often in Tracy, but now he rarely sees them ... Burrowing owls, which live in the abandoned holes of ground squirrels, are considered a species of special concern in California. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
North San Diego County Community News Briefs: Experimental aircraft group to meet Jan 25, 2007
The group will look for raptors, including the red-tailed and ferruginous hawks, golden eagles and burrowing owls. Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars and scopes. (North County Times)
California's Jan 23, 2007
It was announced that up to 4,700 , including burrowing owls, red-tailed hawks, and golden raptors, were being killed each year by a wind farm in Altamont, California. . (Harper's Magazine)
ALAMEDA COUNTY Jan 13, 2007
Representatives of state Fish and Game Department and the attorney general's office sent letters Wednesday to the Alameda supervisors asking for a delay in the vote. The state agencies had been given only three business days to review the proposed settlement as had the county's own science review committee, which had been working on the bird problem. (San Francisco Chronicle)
State wildlife commission seeks tougher rules for owning pet snakes Dec 22, 2006
The rules would also restrict sales of Nile monitors, carnivorous lizards that can grow up to six feet and already have established a breeding population in the Cape Coral area on Florida's Gulf coast, where they menace burrowing owls and gopher tortoises. At the moment, anyone can walk into a pet shop and walk out with a python. (Sun-Sentinel.com)
In Kansas, a Line Is Drawn Around a Prairie Dog Town Dec 11, 2006
By moving the cows from pasture to pasture quickly, he said, he can accommodate both cattle and rodent, improve the soil and the grass and promote the return of those species drawn either to prairie dogs; abandoned holes (such as burrowing owls and badgers) or to their flesh (foxes, rattlesnakes, hawks and eagles). In recent years, as the prairie dog town expanded, ;We;re seeing some species that we;ve never seen before,; Mr. Haverfield said, as his 1979 Ford pickup lumbered over some thoroughly... (Herald-Tribune)
Organization helps owls affected by construction Dec 10, 2006
PALOMINAS Burrowing owls live in holes in the ground, but they don t dig their own. Because of the ongoing extrication of burrowing mammals such as prairie dogs and the urbanization of grasslands and modern agricultural technology, burrowing owls are at risk because their natural homes are disappearing ... Burrowing owls grow to about 9 inches tall and have around a 20-inch wing span. (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
Where the Wild Dec 7, 2006
"'Hoot' is about burrowing owls," he says. "The owls live in holes in the ground, and there are these three kids who have to save them from being killed by a man with a bulldozer who wants to build a pancake house where they live." Released in May 2006, "Hoot" was directed by Wil Shriner and is based upon a novel by Carl Hiaasen. (Ithaca Times, NY)
Colo. home seized for WWII effort may be memorial Nov 18, 2006
The wildlife refuge is now the largest open space in metropolitan Denver, with 330 species of animals, including bald eagles, burrowing owls, deer and coyotes. Plans even call for a bison herd. (AZCentral -- News)
Reservoir reservations Oct 31, 2006
Tom Flynn said there are Native American artifacts and burrowing owls in the area, but they wouldn t expect those to stop the district s project. The only thing that would help them, they said, is public opinion. (Davis Enterprise, CA)
Big differences in fire ant colonies Oct 26, 2006
Q: All kidding aside, you stated a few weeks ago that you were sure we were not going to have a hurricane this year because the burrowing owls didn't leave Marco. Was there any truth to that statement or was that a joke. (Marco Island Sun-Times, FL)
Harlan: Kansas rancher makes peace with prairie dogs Oct 1, 2006
He also has burrowing owls, ferruginous hawks and swift foxes. The Lower Brule Tribe, in fact, recently trapped 40 swift foxes in Logan County for relocation to South Dakota. (Rapid City Journal, SD)
Cheers, jeers mark ferret recovery Sep 26, 2006
"Still, Lockhart believes some prairie-dog habitat should be left alone to regulate itself - not only for ferrets but to benefit a host of species, including ferruginous hawks, burrowing owls and swift foxes."It goes to the heart of biodiversity. Ferrets are an indicator species of a healthy, vibrant prairie ecosystem," Lockhart said.The main threats to ferrets now are the intertwined effects of economics, politics and a five-year drought.Wet years in the 1990s kept grass high in the Conata... (Rapid City Journal, SD)
Agency to review control of prairie dogs Sep 20, 2006
The national Defenders of Wildlife group criticized the change, saying it would jeopardize endangered black-footed ferrets, burrowing owls, eagles, hawks, swift foxes and other species of wildlife that depend on prairie dogs for food or prairie dog burrows for shelter. South Dakota's Conata Basin is home to the largest population of black-footed ferrets and a newly reintroduced swift fox population, as well as burrowing owls and ferruginous hawks, according to a Defenders of Wildlife news... (Madison Daily Leader, SD)
Prairie Dog Plans May Include Poison Sep 20, 2006
A group called Defenders of Wildlife said that increased poisoning will jeopardize endangered black-footed ferrets, burrowing owls, eagles, hawks, swift foxes, and dozens of other species that feed on prairie dogs. Copyright 2006 by. (7 KETV Omaha)
Hit the road with week's top video releases Aug 15, 2006
"Hoot" (New Line), meanwhile, combines family-friendly comedy with a save-the-planet message, as the new kid in a Florida town (Logan Lerman) teams up with a tomboy classmate (Brie Larson) and her nature-boy stepbrother (Cody Linley) to save burrowing owls from the bulldozer. Venturing off the cinematic Interstate and onto the byways, culture-clash comedy sparks "A Wake in Providence" (Indican), about an Italian guy (Vincent Pagano) who's afraid he'll ruin his relationship with his black... (Las Vegas Review-Journal -- Life)
MMA shuts turbine for avian study Jul 24, 2006
The report by the California Energy Commission showed that the resource area which spans an international migratory bird route killed golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, American kestrels and burrowing owls. Environmental groups are suing the turbine owners to force them to take corrective measures to mitigate bird kills. (The Standard-Times, MA)
Neighbors mourn green space in West Boynton set for affordable housing project Jul 24, 2006
Housing Authority officials say they conducted environmental studies and saw no burrowing owls, but they plan to move gopher tortoises and they'll preserve one acre. Many neighbors are concerned about the impact of an affordable-housing neighborhood on their property values, said Barry Seaman, Housing Authority executive director. (Sun-Sentinel.com)
Builders: Owls sent us to court Jul 17, 2006
PETER ANDREW BOSCH / MIAMI HERALD STAFF WANTED TO BUILD: Leonard Schwartzberg, a developer, backed out of buying a property in Miami Gardens upon spotting this and several other burrowing owls. A few months back, Leonard Schwartzberg and business partner James Gerard strolled a lot where they planned a $30 million office-condo along a booming strip of Miami Gardens, just south of Dolphin Stadium and across from soon-to-open Wal-Mart. (The Miami Herald)
Holding their own Jul 8, 2006
eople need to understand that not everything needs to be developed, said Barclay, a consultant to the city of Davis who has been studying burrowing owls since 1990 ... In an effort to keep track of the owls, Barclay and McNerney spent part of a morning last week banding and tagging burrowing owls at the park. (Davis Enterprise, CA)
Kids learn while having fun at eco-camp Jun 25, 2006
"We can't bring in any snakes or other animals if they are on the endangered or threatened list such as the burrowing owls.". By having a few days of the camp in Dallas White Park, the children were able to see an osprey nest, a "great opportunity" because osprey only build one nest in a lifetime. (Charlotte Sun Herald)
Burrowing owls holding their own Jun 15, 2006
Those cute little burrowing owls, which are seen all over Marco Island, are apparently melting a few hearts while they continue to flourish ... Richie thinks it helps that she has more volunteers now talking about the burrowing owls on the island. (Marco Island Sun-Times, FL)
Photo Gallery Jun 15, 2006
Those cute little burrowing owls, which are seen all over Marco Island, are apparently melting a few hearts while they continue to flourish. Kids should be allowed to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). (Marco Island Sun-Times, FL)
Rescue group relocating burrowing owls from work site May 23, 2006
A wild bird rescue group is relocating burrowing owls from Kingman-area land owned by a development company. Bob Fox of the Wild at Heart conservation group and a co-worker are marking the locations of burrows on the site and have already removed about 20 adults and up to 20 young owls. (KOLD.com, AZ)
OPENING LOCALLY May 21, 2006
HH Hoot: A new kid in school (Logan Lerman) teams up with a girl athlete (Brie Larson) and a wild child named Mullet Fingers (Cody Linley) to sabotage attempts to build a pancake house in a remote area that is the habitat of an endangered species, burrowing owls. Tim Blake Nelson is the evil developer, Luke Wilson is the incompetent cop, and although the movie is inspired by Carl Hiaasen s Newbery Honor teen novel, it s weary, stale, flat and possibly destined to be unprofitable. (Scranton Times, PA)
Spence's spooky things of rags and patches May 21, 2006
An untitled pair of burrowing owls stands upright on the floor because the real creatures fly low and shelter in abandoned prairie dog holes. The "Untitled (Barn Owl)" (2006) perches alone, high in the corner of a room, where surveillance cameras tend to roost. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Crude critters might scare tots May 19, 2006
"Hoot" PG (Logan Lerman stars as 14-year-old Roy who suffers bullying in his new Florida school till he makes friends with a Huck Finn-like kid (Cody Linley) and his soccer-jock stepsister (Brie Larson); the three try to stop a construction project from destroying a colony of burrowing owls. Rough moments of bullying, fighting back - punching, choking, audible nose-break; teen commits vandalism; icky-scary scenes with alligators in porta-potties, poisonous snakes, rats, snarling dogs; school... (Buffalo News -- Entertainment)
Owls delay Boca High building May 19, 2006
They're a pair of burrowing owls ... State and federal law prohibits disturbing burrowing owls, which the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission classifies as a "species of special concern." ... Unlike barn owls, burrowing owls can be seen during the day. (The Palm Beach Post)
Cover removed from burrowing owl habitat at Elgin vineyard May 15, 2006
The artificial burrows are a new habitat site for a colony of six burrowing owls that were rescued from the Phoenix area by Wild at Heart and relocated to Callaghan Vineyards in Elgin ... ELGIN Six burrowing owls that have been relocated to an Elgin vineyard seem content in their new habitat, according to a wildlife expert ... This is the first time burrowing owls have been relocated to Santa Cruz County, Clark added. (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
Viewers get a kick from 'Goal' May 12, 2006
"Hoot" PG - Logan Lerman stars as a new kid who suffers bullying in his new Florida school till he finds friendship with a Huck Finn-like kid and his soccer-jock stepsister as they try to stop a construction project from destroying a colony of burrowing owls. Rough moments of bullying, fighting back - punching, choking, audible nose-break; teen commits vandalism; icky-scary scenes with alligators in porta-potties, poisonous snakes, rats, snarling dogs; school bully and his mom verbally abuse... (Buffalo News -- Entertainment)
Burrowing owls hold up construction of building at Boca Raton High May 11, 2006
Meet the burrowing owls of Boca Raton High School ... Florida's burrowing owls are also sharing the cinematic spotlight these days with Tom Cruise and Mission: Impossible III. A feature comedy film called Hoot, released nationwide Friday, tells the story of three Florida kids trying to stop a pancake house from building on a nesting ground for the owls ... Burrowing owls have delayed the construction of a science and career academy building. (Sun-Sentinel.com)
Tour for the birds at Otter Mound May 11, 2006
No burrowing owls were seen Saturday but the group stopped at several marked-off areas where they live on the island. Along with a variety of birds, the group also saw a gopher tortoise near its nest in the Caxambas area. (Marco Island Sun-Times, FL)
A 'HOOT' OF A MOVIE May 11, 2006
Everyone, including Roy, is excited about the new diner - that is, until he's shown something that changes his mind: burrowing owls that live on the site ... I looked it up, and it turns out that the eggs and young of burrowing owls are potential prey to snakes ... Filmmakers went to a lot of trouble to track down real burrowing owls for "Hoot," reports Publisher's Weekly. (Buffalo News)
Killing animals for profit May 7, 2006
There they dig elaborate dens that provide shelter to more than 300 other species, including rabbits, burrowing owls and the endangered indigo snake. As luck would have it, prime tortoise habitat is often prime real estate, which means the tortoises get the boot or, more typically, the bulldozer. (The Miami Herald)
Owls get new home in southern Arizona burrows May 7, 2006
Six burrowing owls have found a home in a southern Arizona vineyard ... Burrowing owls are a unique species. (KOLD.com, AZ)
Groups give owls a home May 7, 2006
Tubes will allow cameras to peer inside the future homes of burrowing owls that are being relocated to Santa Cruz County ... On April 11, six burrowing owls made their debut in an Elgin vineyard owned by the Callaghan family, part of a relocation project orchestrated by wildlife experts, along with the help of a local contractor, middle-school students and the vineyard owner, Kent Callaghan ... Burrowing owls are a unique species. (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
Alice the owl a live lesson for Hoot’ moviegoers May 7, 2006
The Kinstlers brought Alice along to see Hoot, a movie about three kids trying to save a group of endangered burrowing owls. She was also there to help raise awareness about wild animal habitat destruction. (Winona Daily News, MN)
Filmmakers lose focus in 'Art School' May 7, 2006
When he learns that the pancake house is set to be built on lands occupied by a family of burrowing owls, Roy and his new friends must evade a bumbling police officer (Luke Wilson), find the missing environmental assessment report and reveal the crooked developer for who he is. While this movie, produced by Jimmy Buffett, runs like pretty standard family fare, the message of saving Mother Nature from greedy men is just so increasingly relevant that you can't help but cheer for the kids and those... (Vancouver Westender)
MOVIE REVIEW: 'Hoot' May 6, 2006
The central conflict in the new family-friendly feature film "Hoot" is the effort of three teens to block construction on a piece of land that is the home to endangered burrowing owls ... They must solve the mystery of how to stop a new pancake house from being built to protect the burrowing owls. (Fresno Bee -- Lifestyle)
Birdbrain 'Hoot' has heart May 5, 2006
Writer/director Wil Shriner, a TV vet, has stripped the heart out of the story, which pits Florida middle schoolers against the pancake house that plans to build on the home of some burrowing owls ... Viewers are encouraged to follow up their research on burrowing owls. (Indianapolis Star)
'Hoot' keeps its sense of humor May 5, 2006
Logan Lerman stars as 14-year-old Roy Eberhardt who is the new kid at school and the target of a school bully, but allies himself with a mysterious Huck Finn-like kid who has been vandalizing a proposed building site for a new pancake house in order to preserve a colony of burrowing owls. "Mission: Impossible III" (PG-13, 2 hours, 6 minutes). (Buffalo News -- Entertainment)
This tale's a positive development May 5, 2006
Because the holes in the ground are filled with burrowing owls and their young -- endangered species that Muckle would just as soon bulldoze ... The one thing ''Hoot" gets wrong is the title. Burrowing owls grumble, chatter, scream, and say ''coo-coo," but they don't hoot, and as far as I can tell that's a great horned owl dubbed onto the soundtrack. (Boston Globe -- Living)
"Hoot" falls short May 5, 2006
Based on the book by Miami Herald columnist Carl Hiassen, Hoot features a group of comely kids who work together to stop an evil pancake corporation from opening a restaurant on land that houses a nest of burrowing owls. In order to accomplish this task, the junior highers spray paint police cars, trash corporate equipment, and in general engage in the kind of activity that would do Earth Liberation Front proud. (Townhall.com)
Tiny 'Hoot' stars meet their adoring public May 5, 2006
The three, tiny burrowing owls whose habitat those kids are trying to save ... Florida's burrowing owls are the smallest species of the owl family -- an average adult is nine inches tall, and hollow bones means a weight of no more than about six ounces ... And author Carl Hiaasen's sister knew of three burrowing owls at the Miami Museum of Science that might be ready for their close-ups: They were in ''rehab,'' (Shriner, a comedian by training, says the owls had a ''real bad cricket... (The Miami Herald)
Whooo's for "Hoot"? May 5, 2006
A self-reliant runaway for whom the Everglades and other environmental wonders are home, Mullet has declared war on plans to build a pancake-restaurant franchise on a site occupied by "burrowing owls": owls that nest underground and aren't easily seen. Using snakes, baby alligators, spray paint and other means of fear and destruction, Mullet vexes the project manager (Tim Blake Nelson) and an accident-prone if heart-of-gold cop (Luke Wilson). (Seattle Times)
Ideologically timid film is innocent fun (Adam Mazmanian) May 5, 2006
While the shots of Florida's coastal marshes and of the very cute, and apparently good-natured, burrowing owls give the film an eco-friendly veneer, the script also includes a stern and well-received lecture on property rights from Roy's father. Indeed, the plot hinges not so much on whether it is morally right to build on animal habitat, but whether a certain megalomaniacal chain restaurant executive fudged or didn't fudge a legal filing. (Washington Times, DC)
In 'Hoot,' more owls would have been wise May 5, 2006
That's where the burrowing owls come in: They already live there. It's also how we become acquainted with the three adult stooges who are supposed to supply the majority of Hoot's laughs. (SunSpot.net)
