This sexual size dimorphism is not as pronounced in the Florida subspecies. The owl has a round head and lacks ear tufts. Adult plumage is brown with white bars and stripes on the back and beige with brown bars and stripes on the front. White feathers along the brow, under the eyes and across the throat give these owls the appearance of having eye brows, a mustache and a collar. During the breeding season, males appear to be lighter in color than females.
Females spend long periods incubating eggs in the burrow and retain a dark feather coat.
The lighter feather coat in males may be due to sunbleaching while guarding the burrow entrance. The Burrowing Owl's bill is yellow or greenish-yellow. These owls have long unfeathered legs. The Project is looking for help in locating Burrowing Owl colonies and seeking volunteers to participate in the statewide population survey. In 1987, Florida was estimated to have between 3,000 and 10,000 pairs of breeding adults.