Some burrowing owls are under attack in Marco Island

Many people on Marco Island said the person who filled a burrowing owl nest with dirt did it to make sure the birds do not come back. Just days later, a car drove over a different nest. But the owls are resilient and have many people backing them up.

In the month of November alone, two burrowing owl nests on Marco Island were vandalized. Marco Island “Owl Watch” sent WINK News photos showing a nest filled with dirt and pebbles volunteers came across two weeks ago.

Dean Stoller, a landscaper in Marco Island, said a person would not want you to come and put dirt on their home.

“We have to respect Mother Nature,” Stoller said.

Last weekend, tire tracks showed someone trying to run through two owl nests. The person even ripped out the perches and threw them on the side of the road. But on Wednesday, we stopped by both nests. Owls were back outside of the nest that was filled with dirt.

Owls were also seen at the location where the nests have been run over. Both of these incidents have been reported to the Marco Island Police Dept. and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The police said it is still an active case and there are not any charges at this time. Homeowners, including Dean Giorgi, just want these attacks on the burrowing owls to stop.

“If people can’t find something better to do with their time and that’s what the worlds come too,” Giorgi said.