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ELGIN — Tucked 4 feet beneath the Earth’s surface in a network of man-made burrows are six newcomers to this rural community.
If you’re guessing rodents, try again.
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.
 Tubes will allow cameras to peer inside the future homes of burrowing owls that are being relocated to Santa Cruz County. Here, a videographer from Animal Planet and volunteers work at the site in April. (Photo by James Robert) |
Animal Planet had television crews on site as well, filming the entire process — from construction of the burrow system to the owls’ introduction to their new home — for a documentary that will air in a few months.
Burrowing owls are a unique species. Unlike other birds that live in trees, they live underground in burrows that have been excavated and occupied by other animals. They prefer open, grassland areas over forested regions, are active in broad daylight and, in addition to a diet of rodents, these owls eat insects.
“They are extremely beneficial to man,” said Greg Clark, who is a burrowing owl habitat coordinator for Wild at Heart, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of birds of prey. “They eat all the things we don’t want.”
The owls depend on suitable habitats for survival. When new developments start excavating an area, if burrowing owls are living on the site, they are in danger of having their burrows destroyed.
“Once you get rid of the burrows, you get rid of the owl,” Clark said. “And it’s a shame.”
For several years now Wild at Heart has been relocating owls that are living on sites destined for development, working closely with members of the community, contractors and developers in their rescue efforts.
“The developers have been very, very cooperative in working with us,” said Bob Fox, founder of Wild at Heart. “We’re not going to stop development and that’s not our focus. Our focus is to find the birds that need relocating and get them into a suitable habitat.”
When burrowing owls are discovered on a site slated for development, Fox urges the public to contact Wild at Heart before excavation begins. Once the organization has been notified, Fox acquires a permit through U.S. Fish and Wildlife to remove the owls from the area. He traps the owls and carefully excavates the burrow, checking for more birds and eggs.
Fox keeps the owls for a minimum of 60 days at the Wild at Heart facility in Cave Creek. During that time, the organization is actively looking for suitable sites that can be used for relocation.
“Burrowing owls are protected under U.S. laws pertaining to migratory species,” Clark said. “When burrows are destroyed or covered up with dirt, the owls living in those burrows are trapped and can die.”
As more people are educated about the owls and Wild at Heart’s relocation efforts, the public has come forward, serving as the organization’s eyes and ears.
“When I learned about these wildlife relocation projects, I knew I wanted to be involved,” said Doug Sposito, who owns Dasco Quality Inc., a Sonoita-based general contracting company. “Southern Arizona Homebuilders Association has been involved with projects like this for years. They have a list of all the contractors interested in helping with all types of wildlife relocation. We have the equipment and manpower to help, and want to be involved.”
When environmental organizations need help with their relocation projects, they call SAHBA right away, Sposito said.
“Most of the serious environmental groups know an open phone line between contractors and these kinds of relocation efforts is always available,” he said.
On the day the tunnels were built on the Callaghan property, Sposito was at the site with a backhoe and two of his employees. After the backhoe work was completed, middle school students from Elgin and Patagonia jumped in the 4-foot deep trench and started laying special flexible pipe for the tunnel system, under the direction of Clark. A plastic bucket is used for the owl’s nesting area, and 4-inch flexible irrigation hose serves as the actual tunnel, leading from the nest to the entrance of the burrow. The flexible hose is covered with perforations, allowing water to leak out during rainy weather and not get into the burrow. The owls’ new home is designed to simulate natural burrows.
Once finished, the burrow site is covered with a screened enclosure, much like a huge tent. The enclosure will be in place for 30 days, preventing the owls from flying away as they acclimate to their new digs. From start to finish, constructing the burrows and releasing the birds into the enclosed area is a daylong project.
Caretakers provide the birds with food and water during the one-month time frame that the enclosure is in place.
Callaghan vineyards donated five acres of land to the project, on which three expansion burrows were constructed the same day as the original burrow.
The Elgin area is an excellent landscape for the owls, Clark said.
“As soon as I saw the site, I knew it was ideal burrowing owl habitat,” he said. “No trees, lots of grassland, just what they like for nesting, reproducing and food source.”
Clark measures the success of relocation on what it takes for the owls to reproduce. “We want the birds to be content and make babies.” It’s the only way they’re going to rebound, he maintains.
Whenever possible, the owls are relocated during breeding season. It gives the adults more incentive to return to the site, and babies are immediately acclimated. Wild at Heart has a good relocation success rate.
“I want to thank everyone who helped with this project,” Fox said. “Relocation has become a key part of our work in the past few years, and I attribute much of our success to people coming together to help. The middle school kids were great. We always try to involve young volunteers in these kinds of projects. It helps with awareness of wildlife.”
HERALD/REVIEW reporter Dana Cole can be reached at 515-4618 or by e-mail at dana.cole@svherald.com.
nicole ray wrote on Jun 21, 2009 3:35 PM: