Last winter many of you may remember reading about the sightings of a great gray owl in Milford. Great grays do not breed in Maine and only rarely are they seen here during the cold season, when – and if – they irrupt from their normal ranges in search of adequate food supplies.

The owl theme continued this summer, with a first-ever record of a burrowing owl in Down East Maine (coincidentally, the movie, “Hoot,” based on Carl Hiaasen’s book of the same name, was released earlier, in April. The story focuses on three young children who fight to save a population of burrowing owls in Florida. For more information, visit the author’s Web site at www.carlhiaasen.com/books/hoot.html).

In the eastern U.S., the only population of burrowing owls resides in Florida; otherwise, it is essentially a western bird whose range extends from Central America up through the middle of the United States and into western Canada. Although this is the first record for Maine, stray birds have been recorded in Ontario and New York, according to “The Birds of North America” species accounts.

Why and how this particular owl ended up in Washington County, Maine, remains a mystery, one that Maine birders were happy to puzzle over and enjoy.

As their name suggests, these owls excavate burrows in which to nest and roost underground. They will utilize a variety of habitats for this: shortgrass plains, golf courses, cemeteries, airports, even road allowances within cities. Consequently, they can become very accepting and habituated to human activity, although the owl seen here in Maine was reported to be very skittish. It had chosen to roost in a culvert on the edge of a blueberry field, and reportedly was easily flushed if approached too closely.

Burrowing owls are small owls, about the size of a rock dove (pigeon). They are pretty opportunistic hunters, feeding on insects, small mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles. They are also active during the day as well as at night, and in their preferred range can often be seen standing outside or on top of their burrows. It is then that their unusually long legs (for an owl) are obvious.

One extremely interesting fact caught my attention in the BNA. Because of their ability to nest underground, the owls are able to tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide.

Despite their ability to tolerate human activity, populations of burrowing owls have been in decline in many states and in all of their western Canadian provinces. Vehicle collisions are listed as a major source of mortality, as well as severe spring and summer weather, predators, and insecticides.

Our Washington County visitor disappeared soon after being reported. Since birds in northern parts of their ranges will migrate, perhaps this individual decided it was time to head south, as fall migration had begun. Perhaps – if we’re lucky – it will come back next year, with a mate.

BDN bird columnist Chris Corio can be reached at bdnsports@bangordailynews.net