Some could argue there isn't much story here, but after going back and forth on sharing this, I thought it was interesting to look how laws work both in favor of the owls and against them, and the locals' concern about them and desire to see them taken care of.
Let me know your thoughts! I'll include some bonus pics in exchange for reading this.
From the Midland Reporter-Telegram
Residents concerned about fate of Texas burrowing owls amid new construction By Kessly Salinas
Texas burrowing owls have found a home in the burrows of a prairie dog town in an empty lot near Front Street and North Adams Street but will soon need to find a new one.
According to Donnabelle and Mike Hutt, there is about 8 to 10 burrowing owls that have made the abandoned prairie dog town their home.
After continuously seeing a food truck park in the same lot that the owls are living in, the couple worked to raise awareness about the birds, reaching out to officials to ensure the safety of the owls.
Now, the couple’s concern is reaching a new level. Construction for a new Dollar Tree will begin soon in the owls’ lot, and the duo is worried about the fate of these feathery neighbors.
Michael Nickell, museum scientist at the Sibley Nature Center, said that Texas burrowing owls are unique in that they reside underground. They might not always dig their own burrow, so they like to reside in abandoned prairie dog colonies.
Corrie Borgman, migratory bird biologist and nongame/landbird specialist at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said that because burrowing owls like living in abandoned quarters of prairie dog colonies, the two animals are often associated together.
Nickell added that the burrowing owl is a migratory bird, so they are considered a protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
“A protected species doesn’t necessarily mean they’re endangered, threatened or vulnerable,” Nickell told the Reporter-Telegram. “But because the burrowing owl is a migratory species, it does fall under the protection of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.”
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 was established to ensure the sustainability of populations of all protected migratory bird species, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The treaty protects over 1,000 species in North America.
“The MBTA protects birds themselves, as well as their eggs, their nests and any body parts such as feathers and things like that,” Borgman said. “It’s prohibited to kill a burrowing owl directly or remove it’s nest.”
If a burrowing owl built a nest and laid eggs in it, the nest would have to remain undisturbed until the birds have fledged.
Borgman said that although the Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects birds, eggs and their nests, it doesn’t protect habitats.
“If the food truck is parking directly on top of the burrow, it could be problematic,” Borgman said. “I think that it could easily be a conversation explaining to the owners that they don’t have to park directly on top because they are protected.”
She added that it’s a situation that could be resolved.
“Texas Parks and Wildlife has management guidelines that says to conduct activities at a minimum of 100 feet from the nesting sites,” Borgman said.
She said that although parking directly on top would lead to people disturbing the ground each time someone walks up to the food truck, if there was a minimum buffer between the truck and the nest, they could coexist in the same lot.
With a safe distance, the owls wouldn’t be hurt by the foot traffic that the food truck creates.
Game Warden Philip Bird added that a food truck creates very low disturbances to the burrowing owls.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act doesn’t protect habitats, it only protects the birds, their nests and their eggs.
Donnabelle and Mike Hutt suspected that the owls were protecting a nest and newly lain eggs, but if there aren't any eggs and nests right now, there isn’t much that can be done for the owls.
“It’s not nesting season for any bird in Texas at the moment,” Bird said. “Burrowing owls are federally protected, so there may be some type of permit that the construction company needs to get but that’s not something that the state regulates.”
Since it is not nesting season, the burrowing owls would just have to find a new habitat. Because natural habitat loss happens due to development, Texas Parks and Wildlife has constructed a guide about how to build artificial den sites in urban areas.
Bird said that burrowing owls’ nest anywhere that there’s prairie dog town and that there is plenty all over west Texas. The burrowing owls will be able to adapt and find a new home.
“I assume that when construction begins in earnest, the owls would fly off and find a better habitat for themselves,” Bird said. “It’s not nesting season, so there’s not really a state violation occurring.”
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Oh wow, that's not great. Some people naturally can't make vitamin D from sunlight, maybe your body is like that. I hope you are able to find and quickly, affordably, effectively address the cause. They are looking into the cause, right?
The blood work was for my annual physical, which I believe is free as a preventative care visit. We didn't go looking for it specifically. My portal app doesn't show we've ever checked the level before, but I got a new doctor this go round.
He put me on a weekly D2 supplement. It sounds weird to only take it once a week, but I assume everyone knows what they're doing.
I've been feeling extra tired and have been having unexplained back pain, which looked to be signs of a deficiency. It started after I got sick the other week, so I thought it was related to that.
I'm really not sure and weirded out what happened to my last reply. I typed words and a link, pressed "reply" and somehow it came out something else. Anyway!
Doctors have to please third-party payers, so self-advocacy is crucial. Here is this very brief overview of D-deficiency, and you may be correct about your illness, COVID iirc. Best of luck, wishing you the most speedy resolution!
I saw the weird reply. That was really strange!
Thanks for a vetted source. They're so many health "resources" available I never know what is legit or not.
Hopefully it is Covid related and can get fixed with the supplement. I'm already on depression meds and I'm kinda unhappy with a number of things I have to deal with daily, so the added depression is doing me the most harm, and the constant tiredness is making me just fall asleep early and not have time for the activities that help keep me happy. It's pretty annoying. At least now I have an idea what may be going on, and it sounds easily manageable.
You're very welcome. My usual go-to (Cleveland Clinic) usually have better write-ups, but there are exceptions and this was one. Depression meds have weird side effects, depending on the individual body and brain chemistry. That alone is a lot to navigate, throw in COVID and D-deficiency and it's an extravagant labyrinth inside an extravagant labyrinth inside another! I'm also wondering if you may be suffering long-COVID. Maybe keeping a running list of questions and potential links between the plethora of symptoms to give your medical care team would be helpful? You can ask for it back and cross through the rule-outs and keep pestering with the unanswered. They get paid based on 15, 30, 60 and each 15 additional minutes, iirc. Hopefully you have a set copay and low deductible.
Again, wishing you the very best recovery on all fronts. Thanks for the update. You brighten my days, and I appreciate it.
I appreciate you as well!
All my changes have been pretty apparent to me, I just hadn't thought they were linked. I'll kept track of things and stay on them if I don't perk back up soon on the supplements.
Thank you and...Good luck! Please update me occasionally, DM is fine so I don't keep dragging the community off -topic, if you prefer. All my best to you and yours.
I will try to remember to keep you posted.
I just got tipped off we were getting some aroura here, which we don't normally get, so that has me in a bit better mood right now.
If that's going to add to stress, please don't worry about that! I'll ask occasionally.
Enjoy the light show!
Made me laugh, thank you. Have a wonderful day!