SNOWY OWL

The snowy owl lives mainly on lemmings. When these tundra rodents are in short supply, and when the Artic winter is exceptionally severe, this great white owl migrates south in search of food. 

Characteristics
The snowy owl is the largest bird in the Arctic region. The male is almost entirely white, with a few dark markings among his feathers. The female has more dark feathers than the male, concentrated into barred markings on her wings, breast, and underside. She has longer claws and can be as much as one fifth larger and one third heavier than the male. This marked difference in appearance between the sexes is unique among owls.

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Breeding

The male snowy owl has a large territory, and, when mating, his cries can be heard six miles away in the thin Artic air. In protecting his territory, he will sometimes chase and fight with another male in midair. A female, too, will defend territory or a potential mate against others of her own sex.

The owlets hatch after a 30 day incubation period, using a temporary "egg tooth" to crack through the shell. They are covered with thin, white down which is soon replaces by a coat of sooty black down. At 43-50 days, they can fly. After 60 days, they are able to hunt for themselves.

Food & Hunting

In the Arctic, the snowy owl feeds mainly on lemmings and an occasional mouse. Elsewhere, it will eat rabbits, hares, and birds. Unlike most owls, the snowy owl rarely hunts at night. It seeks its prey in the twilight of early morning and evening. It seizes its prey with its sharp claws, called talons.

The long Arctic winter brings many hours of darkness and numbing cold, but the snowy owl's thick feathers keep it well insulated and warm. Food is scarce during the harsh winter months in the tundra, and the snowy owl is capable of fasting for up to 40 days at a time. It survives on the thick deposits of fat under its skin that is has acquired during the summer and further conserves its energy by moving as little as possible.

Key Facts

Sizes

Length: 21-26 inches. Female larger

Wingspan: 60-65 inches

Breeding

Sexual maturity: 2 years

Breeding season: May-Sept.

Number of broods: 1

Eggs: 3-9, smooth, glossy, white.

Incubation: 30-33 days

Fledging period: 43-50 days.

Lifestyle

Call: Breeding males, a loud, booming hoot. Both sexes, a harsh bark when defensive.

Diet: Lemmings, small mammals, ducks, other birds.

Lifespan: Up to 15 years in the wild, 28 years in captivity.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Archaeologists have found snowy owl bones in kitchen waste thrown out by Neo-lithic people. Today Eskimos sometimes eat owl meat.

• If a predator, such as a wolf or an arctic fox, nears the nest, the owls often attack the intruder fearlessly, swooping down on it and striking it with their talons.