They may weigh less than a baseball, but the four-ounce burrowing owls carry a legacy at Florida Atlantic University that outweighs their size. 

For decades, these burrowing owls have called Boca Raton their home. Through various campus developments and environmental challenges, they remain a symbol of resilience.

“They’re quite fierce survivalists,” said Kelly Heffernan, a local bird biologist. “They are a bit of an underdog, given their life strategy in modern Florida.” 

This small but mighty species is unique because it’s the only hunting bird that nests underground in its self-made burrows using its sharp claws, Heffernan said. They spend most of their day in open, grassy spaces, hunting or basking in the sun.

Heffernan is also the founder of Project Perch, a nonprofit dedicated to conserving Florida burrowing owls. She describes them as “Florida’s homegrown organic natural pesticide” because they eat bugs, frogs, lizards and even baby iguanas. 

While burrowing owls contribute to a balanced ecosystem, Heffernan said, they also serve as FAU’s mascot. Before becoming a university campus, Heffernan said FAU’s land belonged to a World War II Air Force base called “Boca Raton Army Airfield,” which was established in 1942. 

Joshua Scholl, a biology professor, said he thinks the owls settled in the area during this time because they were attracted to the flat, open space. He said the owls likely settled in Boca Raton about 80 years ago.

In 1964, FAU officially opened as a public university. A few years later, in 1971, the National Audubon Society, a non-profit aimed to protect birds, designated space for four conservation areas throughout the Boca campus to preserve the species. 

FAU didn’t establish its mascot until the mid-1980s when students started playing sports competitively; according to a 2023 article from The Palm Beach Post written by James Coleman, Heffernan also stated that the owls were chosen as the mascot because of their presence on campus.

“We’re so lucky that FAU chose the burrowing owl. It was a natural choice, being that they had it on campus,” Heffernan said.

FAU hired Miller Legg, a Sunrise-based environmental consulting company, in 2011 to track the population of the burrowing owls – according to Evelyn Frazier, an FAU biological sciences professor. 

A survey conducted by Miller Legg in August of 2024 states found, “The owl population has been estimated at around 40 individuals. This assessment and consistent with the previous estimates. The number of observed potentially occupied burrows has remained consistent at between 50-60 burrows and distributed throughout the campus.”

According to Frazier, FAU has one of the highest populations of burrowing owls in South Florida. Despite their presence on campus, this species faces multiple obstacles that threaten their existence. 

On Nov. 16, 2016, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission declared the owls a state-threatened species, meaning their population is declining at a concerning rate. Without intervention, this species can be endangered and potentially extinct, Heffernan added. 

“I think the worst thing is that we end up in an environment devoid of wildlife. A healthy environment is one where the burrowing owls can make a living,” she said.

One of their biggest threats is urban development near or on burrows. The construction of buildings, including the football stadium and multiple dorms on campus, contributed to habitat loss and a decline in their population, according to Fraizer. 

FAU’s student-run Sustainability Club began recently advocating for the owls after construction started on a new seven-story residence hall scheduled to open in fall 2026. According to a February University Press article, FAU received a permit allowing them to “harass” burrowing owls from their habitat on campus to build the new residence hall.

“We did start a petition against the development of multiple dorms that FAU got permission from the FWC to build. We aren’t petitioning the growth of the school, but the attempt to do it in a corrupt manner that we’re seeing from both FAU and FWC,” said Liam Baysura, a junior majoring in ocean engineering and the club’s vice president. 

The petition has accumulated over 1,700 signatures from local residents since its creation on Feb. 12. Frazier said the school should build on existing buildings and parking lots to balance animal conservation and school development with a growing student body.

“As long as FAU leaves green areas for these animals to make burrows and continue to live, they will thrive,” Frazier said.

FAU and the FWC have been collaborating for 30 years to preserve the owls on campus, according to Lisa Thompson, an FWC representative. She stated in an email to the UP that they are “committed to conserving the burrowing owl population at FAU while allowing for growth at the campus.” 

Environmentalists speculate that invasive iguanas also jeopardize owls’ livelihood. According to Heffernan, iguanas invade and destroy their habitats. When this happens, the owls must either replant the burrow or relocate elsewhere. Iguanas may also eat the owls’ eggs, she said. 

Heffernan recently visited the campus and said the preserve was infested with iguanas. They don’t have any major predators in Florida, so their population grows uncontrollably while they interfere with owls’ livelihood. Despite these factors, owls have a spirit of survival. 

“They’re resilient and persistent. They’ll stand their ground for quite a while,” Scholl said. 

To admire FAU’s feathered friends, Scholl said students are encouraged to observe and photograph them from a distance, protecting their habitats and peace.

“Having the privilege of seeing them from time to time gives me a great appreciation for the land that we live on, so much that I want to do anything in my power to protect the remains of it,” Baysura said. 

This story is in the UP’s latest print issue, Vol. 32, “Earth Day: Exploring Environmental Research and Wildlife at FAU, which can be found in the distribution boxes around the Boca Raton campus or in the Student Union Room 214.