(Des Moines County, IA) -- Nesting owls near a southeast Iowa park are getting a break from visitors who use a nearby bridge. Kelly Rendell of Des Moines County Conservation says due to some reports of people bothering the owls, they've decided to close a bridge near the Starr's Nature Cave north of Burlington. She says Great Horned Owls have been nesting in the bluff there for many years, and are doing so again this spring. She says while it's a good location, it's just a bit too close to people-traffic. The bridge is temporarily closed to give some quiet time to owls.
Rendell also reminds all visitors to nature areas to give wildlife plenty of space all year, but especially when there are wildlife babies nearby as their mothers can become aggressive. She says the owls that nest near Starr's Nature Cave have not been known to attack visitors, but she says it's a possibility if the birds feel threatened.