It is a myth that you can’t build on a lot with burrowing owls. Burrowing Owl nesting season started February 15th and continues to July 10th. The “buffering” protection zone around the burrows goes from 10 feet to 33 feet.
Builders need to extend the buffer to the farthest point possible up to 33ft. If the house walls are already up, but the house is within the buffer, they can continue to work inside the house but no new exterior activities, especially ground disturbing activities such as grading, should be conducted within the buffer zone. If the builder cannot meet this requirement they should stop work until nesting season is over or get a take permit from the Florida Wildlife Commission.
Learn more here: Burrowing Owl – Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife | Dedicated to Protection, Preservation and Education (ccfriendsofwildlife.org)