Bird of the Month- Snowy Owl
Photo by Missy Mandel/GBBC
The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a magnificent owl with striking yellow eyes, native to the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia. Measuring about two feet long, with a wingspan of 4-5 feet, they are one of the largest species of owls, and on average, the heaviest, weighing in at 3.5 to 6.5 pounds. Males have primarily white plumage, while females and juveniles are often heavily streaked with black feathers.
Snowy Owls nest on the ground, scraping out a shallow indentation on a mound or boulder- they like to have a high vantage point to scout for prey. The female typically produces clutches of 3 to 11 eggs, which are laid singly every other day! Males and females share the responsibility of guarding their young.
Irruption: a dramatic, irregular migration of large numbers of birds to areas where they aren’t typically found, possibly at a great distance from their normal ranges.
Snowy Owls nest in the Arctic tundra and winter further south in Canada and northern Eurasia, often in open grasslands. However, they are highly adaptable birds, known to be nomadic when the populations of their prey species don’t meet the needs of their own population size. They can irrupt further south, usually after the lemming population crashes, as these small rodents are their main food source. This year was an irruption year, and a number of Snowy Owls were sighted in New England throughout January and early February. Some were reported as far south as the Carolinas! Snowy Owls also eat voles, mice, ptarmigan, hares, muskrats, squirrels, grouse, ducks, marmots, and really anybody they can get their talons on- even smaller owls. They are opportunistic, and have been known to scavenge as well.
*If you’d like to learn more about Snowy Owls, you can follow this link:
Photo by mooseman54